The Art of Manipulation
by Zerolr
Summary: Things are spiraling downward for her, slipping uncontrollably out her fingers-falling falling right into his. And there is no way he's going to let this chance pass. Gin/Rukia. R&R. Thanx!
1. Desperate Much

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A rare and unusual couple but something tugs me to write about it so here goes… I was kind of upset at the time when I wrote this—so the mood of the story is going to sound rather sour.

- Zerolr -

**Disclamer: I don't own Bleach, all rights go to Tite Kubo**

Pairing: Gin – Rukia

Rating: T (for now I guess)

Setting: Alternate universe

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The Art of Manipulation

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Chapter 1 – Desperate Much…

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Humid, hot and sticky. The heavy weight of summer crushed Kakakura town with a power that hasn't been seen in years. The record for the hottest day of the year hit in July and Rukia ran then slowed to a jog and practically crawled to her apartment dropping the keys on the counter collapsing exhausted on the sofa.

Everything seemed to be going bad for her. She had her car towed yesterday, an overdue fee added to her already sky rocketing light bill and Ichigo, the guy that she kinda-sorta-liked-but-didn't-tell-him-straight-up, has declared himself with Orihime—her so called best friend.

She looked at the cell phone she pulled out of her pocket.

I can call Renji, but I think he's had enough of my constant pissing and moaning. Shit. I feel so miserable.

Her arm dropped and the cell phone fell from her fingers to the carpet floor. Soon enough, she was asleep.

The next day rang with similar and/or newer problems. Her step-brother Byakuya left a message on her answering machine saying that he ISN'T planning on letting her borrow the money anytime soon even thought he was a filthy rich attorney. She cursed him and the phone, and when she went to pick it up to call the taxi—the lights went out.

Great. The fucken public utility company wanted their money now.

She threw the phone with the base and sunk to the ground and broke down in tears.

How can it get any worse? How? She thought. With only the cell phone working, her only light, and beacon of hope. Renji.

"Yeah, sure I'll off today. I'll pick you up. Huh? What's a matter, Rukia? Your voice sounds really shaky."

There she was slobbering, hiccupping and brawling her eyes out, buggers all over the place. Wetting her secretarial clothes as Renji's car parked right outside the hospital she worked in.

He did his best to console her. He could understand the dire straights she found herself in since he too, had a crappy-ass job and virtually no one to support him. Unhooking his seat belt, he hugged her and held her close, knowing that saying anything really wasn't going to help. The only words that would be appropriate to say at this moment would be, "Here is 10,000 dollars," or, "I love you." And neither was a valid option for him at this moment. He know that words like, "It will get better," or "Just keep trying," "Never give up,"—or even, "Pray and go to church," was only going to make it worse. Those things didn't solve anything. They were just words and words are exactly what they are—words.

Rukia lifted her head from Renji's chest and wiped the tears off her swollen eyes and smiled a bit.

"Thank you Renji."

"I didn't do much, but I'm glad to help."

There was a slight pause and awkward moment. He looked down at her in question.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

She seemed to start shaking her head, but stopped and reached out her right hand to let it rest on his cheek. She suddenly inched to kiss him but Renji stopped her.

"Rukia, what are you doing?"

Flustered, she picked up her things.

"Didn't you like me?!" she asked, her bottom lip slightly trembling as she pushed open the car door.

"Yeah, but I don't feel like that any more—I like some else."

"Well fuck you then," came the abrupt reply to equally counter the abrupt answer.

"Rukia…" Renji's voice came out soft and warm in his usual gruff tone, "You're really stressed and frustrated, you don't have any feelings for me…you never really did."

Rukia bit her lip as Renji drove off, those last words lingering floating around her mind.

_You never really did…_

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**End Chapter**

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Notes: Sorry for the really short chapter, it was all orignially supposed to be one large chapter but, it dragged so much that I've separated them in parts. The second chapter coming soon! I need to fluff it up and add some more things to it. It will be up later today (3/31/2009) or tommorow (4/1/2009) Thanks for reading!


	2. Creepy Staff, Creepy Patients

Yay! I was soooo happy I was able to put it up the same day! I really didn't want to put it off until later, because it would be hard for the readers to get a good jist of the story witout it. So with out further adu enjoy Chapter 2!

- Zerolr -

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Chapter 2 – Creepy Staff, Creepy Patients

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Walking along the parking lot towards the hospital, Rukia remembered the many times she turned down Renji's advancements; letting him pass many an embarrassing moment because she never really wasn't the person to tell straight up how she felt—until she was pushed to the edge. He tried and tried until one day he just stopped trying. She'd figure that he just gave up—but it never occurred to her that it was someone else.

Oh well, she thought with an agonizing sigh, I'm an easy person to replace. She pushed away the excruciating thought of Ichigo choosing a D cup wearing, booty-filling Orihime over herself who was flatter or maybe even thinner than an ironing board.

It was no regular hospital that Rukia worked in, no, it was a mental hospital. Yes, a place borderline asylum. Because the people there are more cracked up than they should be. But you know what? The patients here are much more better to deal with than everyone else in the outside world.

In here resides all of society's rejected—the ones that couldn't—or just didn't want to—fit in. She was one of the secretaries, receptionist what have you, that served to keep track of medical records, contact information, make phone calls, etc, etc.

Dr Urahara was casually converstating with Dr Kurotsuchi about the differences in mental stability when, Rukia, still puffy-eyed walked in.

"You're late!" snapped Kurotsuchi, "I had Nemu make five phone calls," Rukia ignoring him completely walked around him towards her desk.

"Thank you Nemu," she told the kind silent woman who was the mad doctor's only daughter.

Urahara placed a hand on his colleague, "Let me take care of this."

"Humph!" Mayuri scoffed, shaking off violently the foreign hand that rested on his shoulder and paced out. He was quickly followed by Nemu.

"Rukia, what's going on?"

"It's alright Kisuke," Rukia replied with a sigh, "I'll just go back to work."

The laid-back doctor straightened himself up and turned a little.

"Are you sure?"

"A person shouldn't bring their problems to work."

At this the blonde just smiled, "True, very true, but seeing you like this worries me," he walked off towards the door. Rukia sunk her head into her work quickly accessing the database and checking her planner for the list of what-to-do. Kisuke Urahara stopped at the doorway resting his palm on the frame looking back. His eyes softened a bit and he turned back walking towards her.

Rukia absent-mindedly typed away shutting off all distractions not hearing him approach. He surprised her when placed his large hand over her head. He rubbed it playfully and Rukia looked up.

"Eh? You surprised me!"

"Don't kill yourself, kay?"

She smiled. Does it show that much? She thought. No, I can't get my negativity get to those around me. It's none of their concern and I wouldn't want to burden them with that.

"Don't worry—I can take it!" she chirped raising an arm energetically.

Urahara laughed, he lifted his hand from where it rested, "I don't mean paperwork, I mean with you…" He leaned towards her ear, "_If you know what I mean…"_ and with that he went off to treat his patients.

She sat boggle-eyed staring at the monitor. "What the _hell_ did he mean with that?!" she rasped under her breath. He's so weird, sometimes even downright creepy….

The clock hit noon and Rukia was off to hit the sweltering sun walking down to find some place to eat. As she was exiting out the glass double doors she saw what looked like a man hidden within the trees and bushes that decorated the front of the building.

Obviously the guy wasn't doing a good job hiding because she immediately spotted him and the white restraining suit he wore (which made him stand out even more)

She walked up to the bushes and looked down on him who was crouched down and seemed to be mumbling to himself.

"There's no point in running—staying at this hospital is your best bet," she told the man in a dry almost sarcastic tone.

The man slowly lifted his head at the sound of her voice. His hair shimmered a platinum sliver, eyes thin squinted nearly shut, curved much like the eyes of a playful demon fox. His lips were curved up, far up in a mischievous unreadable grin.

"I know—this whole world is crazy," he replied casually, "I'm wonderin' why only a coupla people is getting treated."

She backed off. His face, those eyes, the way they stared at her creeped her out.

"Can you take this off—pretty please?" he asked in a tease, "I'm kinda stuck."

"N-no. I can't," she stammered, "I'm going to get—,"

"Don do that…" he began sadly, "I'll go back I promise, I jus need these things untied."

Rukia stepped back to head towards the hospital.

"I coulda been left to the city, Rukia-chan."

"How do you know my name?" she cried, stopping suddenly.

"I've been watching you for a long time, Rukia-chan."

Her eyes shook, her hands and feet froze. It was the way that he spoke that confirmed all of the uncomfortable sensations she had for all those months that she worked here. The sensation—the feeling of being watched.

"Untie me…Ru…ki…a…chan."

"Why? Why should I?" she cried once more, "And _why_ am I talking to a patient?! It's pointless—so why am I having this conversation?"

"Because **I** can help you,"

She choked out a miserable laugh, "You can't help me. You have no idea what I'm—,"

"I **can** help you, if you help me..."

She stopped and stared at him, feeling lost for a moment.

He tilted his head to the side, "Did I confuse ya?"

I don't get it, she thought. Why am I considering this?

Just then, some nurses followed by Dr Kurotsuchi rushed out and Nemu grabbed the fox-like man from one side and Akon grabbed on the other.

"We got him sir," replied Akon to an infuriated doctor.

"I can see that you dolt!" he shot back harshly. He then directed his gaze that runaway patient, "Ichimaru Gin," he rasped with a passion, "You are the world's biggest pain in the ass." The kooky doctor stuck his face right into Ichimaru's. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you, right here, right now?"

"Sorry, don have one—you really don't need a reason to kill anybody anyways."

"Lock him up before I REALLY lose whatever patience is still left within me!"

The nurses rushed and carried them away, little Rin being the last one racing to catch up with everybody else.

Jeeze the medical staff here is just as creepy as the patients, pondered Rukia seeing how far each of them resembled from a human being.

"What are you doing here!" Mayuri roared, "Get back to work!"

"Yes!" she piped.

_Wait... did he forget that I was on break?!_

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**End Chapter**

Notes: For those who are confused with the nurses, they are the members of the 12 squad--remember those creepy looking people that work for Mayuri? I personally like Rin, he's so cute like Hanataro... Okay enough of my babble, I hope you all like it so far, there's more to come.

**Preview**

_He reached out a sleeved hand and petted her head lovingly, "You're a good girl, Rukia-chan," he sang, "A very beautiful girl," he added as that sleeved hand cupped her face before slipping away._

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	3. An Escape Plan

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Chapter 3 – An Escape Plan

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Spinning, spinning and spinning was the new proposition that the so-called "Ichimaru Gin," had given her.

Am I going crazy? She thought—Or just cracking under pressure like Renji suggested? Or wait; don't tell me it might be the same damn thing?! Either or, I've got Orihime to hate my gut—Ichigo to avoid me—bad mouthing Nii-san to the point that he never wants to talk to me again—and I'm drinking sour milk and I don't give a rat's ass if it tastes weird or even if it's bad for my health.

Rukia threw her bowl into the sink that was piling up with dishes.

As the days go by, it's all getting worse and worse—_what do I have to lose?_

It was two weeks since the event and Rukia was walking along the halls of the hospital ward as she looked for Dr. Urahara to hand him some papers.

"Oh Hiiiii, Rukia-chan!"

Her ears perked up at the sound as she turned and spotted in one of the rooms she was about to pass, the familiar fox-faced patient. Without considering the risks involved, she walked right in his room. He sat propped up in his bed, his restraining jacket still keeping him immobile and virtually harmless.

"I've given it much thought," she told him.

"Huh?" Gin gave her a look filled with confusion and innocence, "What are you talking bout?"

Her face fell as her eyes registered a look of horror.

"Ya really gonna believe what I say? I don't remember what I told ya, sorry."

She backed off; she had the dire urge to screech out in frustration.

"Just kiddin!"

"Arrhhhh!!!"

"kukukuku… gotcha real bad—didn't I?" He grinned mischievously.

Rukia shook her head; for sure she wasn't going to listen to him at all.

"Are ya leavin?" He gave her a sweet apologetic look, "I'm sorry," he began, "Ya look so upset, so serious… thought I'd make ya laugh." He frowned a bit and Rukia started have second thoughts.

_He was trying to cheer me up? Do I look that miserable, to even have an asylum patient cheer me up?_

"Rukia-chan, come stay…" he begged sweetly.

The next thing she came to realize, she closed the door and untied Ichimaru, setting him free from his bindings.

He reached out a sleeved hand and petted her head lovingly.

"You're a good girl, Rukia-chan," he sang, "A very beautiful girl," he added as that sleeved hand cupped her face before slipping away.

As mean, as sarcastically as those words sounded; they slipped into her mind as she slowly closed her eyes. When was the last time she had received a comforting pat, a tender touch?—even if it was half-hearted it felt warm, inviting almost.

Without warning tears seeped out the closed eyelids. That sleeved hand returned and wiped them off.

"There, there Rukia-chan, I'ma be here."

She fled from her chair that was pulled up to his bed side into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. She didn't cry, rather she just remained there clinging on to the fancy that she was loved, even if it was by a mad man. A mad man who held her while his mind raced and tied together plans and the 101 roles **she** was to play in it.

"Again. Ah-gain!" rasped Mayuri one day. He was in the hallway with Nemu behind him who pushed a cart filled with needles and medication.

"What's supposed to be the problem, Mayuri?"

Kisuke Urahara happened to turn around the corner to spot the frustrated doctor and his daughter.

"Urahara—he's supposed to be _your_ patient, not mine. So please keep track of him."

"What do you mean?" the blonde playfully smiled.

"This is the _seventh _time I've found him untied, and _seven _times **I** had to come in and tie him back. I'm working on new garments—would like for me design one especially for him, hmmmm?"

"I believe that won't be necessary," Urahara walked up to him tapping his pen on the clipboard he held, "Have you noticed how well behaved Ichimaru-san had been? He has dozens of escape attempts in the past… he could have easily left—but he hasn't. I know how clever he is…but I've noticed his behavior has changed, as if he has no reason to act the way he used to."

This boggled Mayuri, because he slightly noticed it as well.

"He doesn't hide out when I give him his medications or injections, he's quite open to me which is EXTREAMLY rare—,"

"I don't know—and I don't care," snapped Mayuri cutting him off, "If you make a big fuss about it, he will probably turn back to his old self again—idiots like him scream for attention—ignore him," he squabbled as he hobbled off into a patient's room."Come, Nemu."

"Yes, Mayuri-sama."

Kisuke scratched his head in thought, "Hmm… perhaps he's right."

Three days had passed since then, and the curious, shady, lazy doctor noted that his little secretary has been more busy than usual. He walked into her office silently and saw flickered on the monitor the hospital database, of course nothing unusual because she accessed it regularly. He crept closer and closer—

"Good mor—ing! Rukia-chan!" he sang slamming his hands playfully on her shoulders.

She literally jumped out of her seat in fright.

"What's _wrong_ with you!" she wailed still recovering from the shock, "And since when—you called me –chan?"

"Why are you so scared," he cooed seeing that she immediately minimized the database browser, "You aren't doing anything _suspicious_… are you?"

"…no,"

"Well then, bring up the database—I want you to look up Ichimaru Gin,"

Rukia silently nodded as she did as she was told. The blonde scratched his head and really couldn't believe what he was seeing. His record appeared to be almost clean. Afterwards, he went ahead and checked him and in the end, came to the conclusion to discharge him.

"Rukia," Dr Urahara came to her after lunch one day, "Pull up Ichimaru Gin again,"

"Yes, sir," she gave the clicks and keyed in his name pulling up his records from the database.

"Hmm, that's interesting," he cooed. His body loomed over her a tall figure looking straight at the monitor, "He actually has a home to be discharged to."

He straightened himself up, "Well, that's it Rukia-chan."

She grilled him with her violet eyes.

"What? I like using –chan it's cute and Ichimaru-san calls you by name as well."

"Huh?"

"Oh don't play dumb, he talks about you all the time…"

"R-really?"

"Don't worry, Ichimaru is very observant… he recognizes and can name every single employee that passes by his room—and since my office is near his, he sees you all the time when you deliver my reports."

"Oh, I see."

Urahara turned to leave and spotted a large lollipop on her desk. Rukia smirked seeming him perk up a bit.

"It it for me?" he asked innocently pointing a finger to himself.

She couldn't help but break out in laugher, "Yes, it's for you doctor."

"Yay!" he bounced like a small child and snatched the candy from the desk. He unwrapped it and immediately started to consume it, "Uooo, so loli, loli, loli—it's so incredibly loli—it's sin!" He sang as he exited the office. Rukia just chucked to herself.

Seeing the address, Urahara didn't know, didn't realize that it was Rukia's address that was listed. He felt fishy about it… but he ignored it. And Ichimaru Gin was sent out of the hospital a freed man.

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**End Chapter**

Notes: This chapter was majorly fluffed up. Added bits and pieces of conversation here and there. But I _love love_ adding dialogue and most of the time my fics drag because of them. Chapter 4 coming soon! Psssst, btw, did anybody get the Gintama reference with the lollipop? Oh God I love that anime… Gintoki is just _too_ awesome…

**Preview**

_It's like poison. A sting—no a bite that's injected me with this venom and slowly, I'm churning frothing, then lulled in a strange twisted feeling of satisfaction. Yes, I feel __happy__ like this…_


	4. Sweet Paralyzing Poison

Let the uploading madness begin! I typed like with frenzied madness this past weekend. Only got this chap update sorta dealing out several possiblities...

- Zerolr -

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Chapter 4 – Sweet Paralyzing Poison

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"Quit your job."

"What?" she asked bewildered.

"Quit your job," he repeated plainly. He bent his over head first messing with some cables in the basement of the apartment building they lived in.

"Look, I don't understand how your mind works, but this world does not function without money and right now, I'm the only one earning it."

"There—done!" he dusted his hands and stood up straight, "That place ain't no good for ya, we'll find something else."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"Let's go back up and see, kay?"

She walked into her bleak darkened apartment greeted with no change. Ichimaru entered behind her and flicked on the switch. The room filtered with light, bringing vitality into the apartment. She whirled around to his direction in utter shock.

"You tapped power from someone else's apartment!"

"Don't worry bout it," came the casual reply.

"That's stealing!"

"No, we're just borrowing without asking, besides it's until we can get proper light in this place."

How can she complain—truth was she was tired of being without power—and eating out everyday.

Gin walked to the phone and picked it up. He sat down on the table and dialed a number.

"Who are you calling?"

"A buddy."

Now who would he have contacts with? Who would he consider a friend? Thought Rukia curiously.

"Guess who!" he sang as soon as the other side picked up.

Rukia had her chin propped up on the table with her hands underneath. She sat across from him as she watched Gin with curiosity and slight wonder.

They say that there is a very thin line between great intelligence and complete insanity. And I've come to learn that this man walks along this line like a tight rope walker; each arm dangling on either side. It is a mind brimming with knowledge and skill in just about everything. It has caused him to see the world so differently because of this. See the world as one large constant opportunity.

"Alright then, I will meet you there," he closed the phone carefully as if savoring the moment in which the phone is comfortably placed within the mold of the base. (He fixed the phone because it was wrecked from the last time Rukia threw it.)

"Rukia-chan, I'm leaving real quick."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm coming back," he replied while closing the door behind him.

I feel so weird. I know that I'm being used somehow but I don't want to leave him. The power is back on, he promised to help me, he promised to help me. He's helping me now, right? But I feel sort of paralyzed. Leave my job? How will I find another? It is like poison. A sting—no a bite that's injected me with this venom and slowly, slowly I'm churning, frothing then lulled in a strange twisted feeling of satisfaction. Yes, I feel happy like this.

Rukia curled up in bed; her chappy clock read 11:00 pm, when the door opened and Gin walked in. He brought bags with food and things and once he put them away—he crept into Rukia's room.

He walked right up to where her head rested and he carefully lifted her pillow and slipped something underneath. Rukia groaned slightly, which he found cute and she rolled over. She appeared to be like a sleeping infant her small lips full and tender, her palms closed and clenched into fists.

Curiously enough, Gin traced his fingertips along the long single trail of her bang that fell across her face. It went between her eyes down ending at the tip of her nose. But his fingers continued on to her lips. Realizing what he was doing, he pulled them away.

In truth he had no such interest for her. She possessed the name Kuchiki—the family that for centuries protects a hidden treasure. He planned to use her as far as he needed her, and then throw her away.

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**End Chapter**

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**Preview**

"_Relax Hun, I didn't steal anything," Gin replied coolly while eating the scrambled eggs he made with iced tea. Rukia nervously settled into her chair._

"_How can I believe you?" she asked noticing that he prepared a plate for her as well._


	5. That One Thing

First of all, I want to thank all the readers that took a minute of their time to express their thoughts and feelings on this fanfic. Your ideas and feelings mean a lot to me and fuel me to write more to this.

- Zerolr -

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Chapter 5 – That One Thing

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Rukia dashed into the kitchen with a wild look in her eyes screeching like a banshee.

"Give back the money! Give it back! I will have no part in it!!!"

After saying this, she threw a stack of hundreds she found underneath the pillow when she woke up.

"Relax, Hun, I didn't steal anything," Gin replied coolly while eating scrambled eggs he made with iced tea.

Rukia nervously settled into her chair, "How can I believe you?" she asked noticing that he prepared a plate for her as well.

"I borrowed this from a friend."

"Borrowed without asking."

"No, borrowed after asking, but never returning," he corrected with that never ending smile.

Rukia huffed as she stood from the table. Gin looked up at her with curiosity.

"I'm going to work," Rukia proclaimed.

"…"

She turned and walked to her room to change. Gin moved his gaze towards her plate and saw it untouched. Rukia opened the drawers and started to pull out the clothes she needed to wear.

There is no way I can quit my job. He's probably worried that he might be discovered through me. But in fact, if I quit now, wouldn't it be obvious that I played a hand in his discharge? It would look too suspicious. Besides, I like my job. The pay is not outstanding—but I enjoy working with Dr. Urahara, he's witty funny and very understanding. Nemu is a strange woman but she's sweet as well and we have nice conversations. We're always covering for each other.

That place is the only reprieve I have from the outside world. My only chance to think about anything besides what I'm going through.

"Rukia-chan," spoke a voice.

Rukia was half dress in only her underwear when the door had unknowingly been pushed open. Gin stood at the entrance his arms resting on the frames of the door. The kitsune eyes were slightly open; a crimson color seeped out of them. Rukia flushed embarrassed and anger swept through her veins.

"Listen—you don't know me when I fuckin get pissed. Get the fuck out of my room."

Gin lowered his arms from where they rested and reached for the doorknob.

"I did you a favor—you're free, anyway you're supposed to help me—not take control of my life."

The sliver haired man's face remained expressionless as he slowly began to close the door.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, as the door slowly closed. Rukia huffed grabbing her shirt to put it on. Gin rested his back on the door, slowly thinking.

I was mistaken—she's not as weak-minded as I originally thought she'd be. I only started to see that when I started to live with her. I gotta say that's an unexpected surprise… But I can still work around that.

But before all that there is **one** thing I'd like to take care of first.

"A—choo! Excuse me!"

"Are you sure you're okay Matsu?" Renji asked.

"Oh of course, silly," Matsumoto teased.

"He held her hand tightly as they continued to walk through the park. It was quite hot but the breeze continually blew making it somewhat chilly. Matsumoto wore a sexy sleeveless top, a mini skirt and strapped heels.

"I think you might have a cold."

"A cold—oh come on," she laughed clinging on to his arm, "Who gets a cold in the middle of the summer?" she giggled as she looked straight into his eyes.

He leaned towards her and kissed her lightly, his lips just savoring hers.

She giggled again and they both stood still in the mist of trees and passerbys.

"I love you, Matsu."

"I love you too," she whispered before they kissed again.

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**End Chapter**

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Notes: Urgh… this chapter was kinda dry—I have future plans but I have trouble building the bridge to connect to those plans. Please bear with me…

**Preview**

_Later on in the evening, the phone rang and Gin picked it up, _______ answered on the other line._

_"So when are you going to make a move, Ichimaru?"_

_"Not so much a hello? I don't think I'll do it till you say pretty please…"_


	6. Halfway

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Chapter 6 – Halfway

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As the days passed Rukia became more and more suspicious of Gin. He brought back more money; the bills were paid. He was always showering her with attention, words and graces. Always getting her beautiful purses, clothes and accessories—even jewelry to please her. It all seemed too good.

Rukia made sure to keep her foot down, keeping her job and having the freedom to come and go as she pleased. Doing so he also, came and went making countless calls—Rukia noticed it was with different people because he had a different way of speaking to each type of call. She insisted on getting a cell phone for himself—but he refused every time—she knew it was only because it'd be easier to track him down that way.

She pressured him with questions and was snooping through his things. To everything he would always reply with a smile and a witty statement.

One late evening, a summer storm struck. Rukia rested cuddled up on the sofa watching several rented movies, while Gin chatted on the phone in the kitchen, his hands cutting up several vegetables for a stir-fry.

"Oh, no—alright, I'll call ya later, bai-bai!"

"Who was that?"

"Sumbody."

"Who?"

"Sumbody Who."

"Gin," Rukia turned climbing on the sofa to his direction.

"Mmm?" he whirled around and saw her arms were dangling off the back of the sofa. He found that to be incredibly cute. He noticed lots of things in her to be irresistibility cute. Her tiny hands and feet, the large eyes, her bold personality—in his eyes she was a feisty little pixie.

"Why don't you ever say where you go?"

"I always be coming back, Hun. Why do I need to make ya worry bout where I go?"

"Just in case something bad happens, you know?"

"Like what?"

"You know, an accident, you get sick or get in trouble with the police, stuff like that."

Gin threw in the vegetables in the pan and started to cook them with the rice and beef.

"You don need to worry bout that, that has nothing to do with ya. Just do what ya like."

Rukia paused the movie and walked over to him.

"Okay," she began in a slightly agitated tone, "First, you start off sounding demanding, wanting to cut me away from my job, my friends. Then, you change to be completely lenient, on top of giving me free reign—you start buying me all kinds of things—what's going on?"

"Rukia-chan…" he cooed.

"Don't you _'chan'_ me!"

He leaned over and popped a kiss right over her lips.

"D-don't you do that either!" She sputtered, feeling flustered. She ruffled up and walked off to continue watching her movie.

Later on in the evening, the phone rang Gin picked it up, Sosuke answered on the other line.

"So when are you going to make a move, Ichimaru?"

"Not so much a hello? I don't think I'll do it till you say pretty please…"

"I believe I paid you everything in advance."

"Nah, not really that wasn't everything," he replied casually while he leaned back in bed, " 'sides, I don't have all of my equipment ya promise ya'd get it for me."

"I don't have it—your partner does."

"Where is he?"

"I believe he disappeared when you were taken in."

"Find him for me—I still gotta settle some things…"

"Ichimaru, my patience is running thin."

"Well ya fool me! Ya always look like ya're under control."

"…"

"Ya really can't do nuthin. As a Prof at a university ya can't blow yur oh-so-perfect image eh? So ya want me to do yur dirty work? I'd say ya have to be a bit more patient."

"Very well."

CLICK!

"Fuckin bastard," Gin muttered under his breath.

The light flicked on as he held the phone to find Rukia standing at the doorway.

"I can't sleep. Who are you talking to?"

"Sumbody Who."

Rukia laughed which caused him to smile.

"Gin, what would take for you to open up to me?"

"Your life," came the reply quickly, quite simply.

"For it to be fair—you have to give me yours—all of yours. And I know you're not thinking that way. Gin I want to trust you, but how can I, when you keep acting this way?"

She geared herself expecting the '_In what way?'_ for a response but instead he remained silent. Within his long fingers he fiddled with the phone, rotating it slowly and tracing his fingertips across the keys. Rukia observed him carefully. She could practically imagine hearing his mind tick as he thought of an answer.

"Can I tell you half way?"

Rukia carefully nodded as she took her seat next to him on the edge of his bed.

"Is there someone special to Rukia-chan?" he asked.

Rukia's eyes wavered as she directed her gaze towards her lap.

"I've been spending them past few weeks phoning and branching my contacts, just to find her."

"Find who?" she asked, not lifting her gaze.

Is there someone special to me? And there is someone special to Gin? It could explain why he's always walking out the door and calling all kinds of people. But that doesn't explain why he's bringing home so much money. That doesn't explain why. That doesn't explain why he buys all those extra little things. It doesn't explain why he insists on cooking all the time. His coos and little compliments, the way he smiles—no, not the usual smile—the smile he has when his eyes widen a bit, when he acts a little serious. OR maybe—maybe it does. Maybe there's no feeling in everything he does.

Is there someone special to me? Ichigo—no—Renji? I've never loved him—damnit am I confusing this with friendship? I've always put my heart in his hands—I've always trusted my life with Renji; he's my closest friend. But Gin… Gin…

Argh! That stupid little thought that's been telling me that possibly—probably there was the chance that Gin would fall in love with me—that he was in love with—

"Matsumoto Rangiku."

Matsumoto? Her. I know her. This is got to be a joke. Ichigo for Orihime and now this?! A cruel, cruel joke. The exact proportional opposite. Wait. Why should I fuckin care? I don't fuckin love this man…

"Ya seem ta know her."

She gasped. She hadn't noticed him slowly sit up and inch his head slowly over her shoulder. Rukia slowly moved her head, shifting her body to face in his direction. Orbs of crimson moved within the small slits of his eyes, catching her motion. He felt the foreign small hand rest at his cheek.

I hate him.

He felt her lips press against his. A small sweet kiss. His fingers slightly twitched at his sides as she parted.

"Yes, I do. Very well," she stood up and walked towards the bedroom door, "Oh, and don't think I hadn't noticed."

He just stared.

"You never told me, who you were talking to. I suppose you still won't plan to tell me." The light flicked off and the door slowly closed behind her.

Gin remained in the dark completely at loss of all sleep.

A kiss. A tiny sampling, seems so incomplete. Bittersweet.

_"For it to be fair—you have to give me yours—all of yours. And I know you're not thinking that way. Gin, I want to trust you, but how can I, when you keep acting this way?"_

"Ya want my life?" he mused to himself in a miserable chuckle, "Ya'll run and neva come back—ya'll run and neva want me…"

He thought of her kiss, of his tongue intertwining with hers—but that was blocked by the vision of her puffed up cheeks of her cold remarks—her small kicking feet, her laugh, her clever change of personality from completely ruthless to prim, proper nice… He felt his heart race—his twitching fingers grabbed at his arm—suddenly scraping at his skin—the blood seeped from the fingernail cuts. No use, those strange drowning feelings flooded inside him.

Fuck. No. Not her too? No. No. No. No. I'ma fuckin kill her when I'm done with her. I'ma fuckin kill. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. When I'm done with her—kill her. Kill... Kill everyone…

* * *

**End Chapter**

* * *

Notes: You know that feeling when you really start to doubt if there really is love? You get a boy friend, you crush on a guy/girl just because. Just because. Yeah you feel that feeling and you hate yourself and you just wonder if you love that person just because he's sweet and kind and your stupid mind calculates that possibly you can like this person. Just because you see him/her and talk to him/her everyday. Yeah…anyways that's what Rukia feels. This chap is kinda confusing so I hope this cleared it up a bit.

Any who, the bridge has been connected! I've made it to the other side get ready. I'm pulling away the curtains with these coming chapters—I hope I've met your expectations!

**Preview**

_She was the one who sent him to the hospital in the first place. Who found out the Gin who nobody knew. Who saw right through the tiny, tiny, cracks of his mask…_


	7. Peeking Through the Cracks

Hello! I'm so glad that you're liking this so far! This makes me as a writer very happy. Just so you know from here on, the chapters are going to get longer. I have a tendancy to multi-write between several stories to avoid getting writer's block, but for this past weekend I've been writing only on this. Now the words are getting harder to spit out of my mind and get on paper… BUT!

I am saved by my muse… music. This entire chapter is written completely under the influence of music. Same for my future chapters. Compare this to my prior chapters. And I hope you like! Thanks for reading!

-Zerolr-

* * *

Chapter 7 – Peeking Through the Cracks

* * *

Can't I do it? Yea, it'd be real nice. Go an rip out this thing people call _'heart'_. Rip it out my fucken chest—an burn it on a stake. Cuz I hate it—won't lemme think.

"Gin, I called Matsumoto," Rukia replied casually as she retrieved the car keys from the rack against the kitchen wall.

"I set up a meeting with her today at that plaza square—do you know where that is?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'm off to work. Take care."

"Bai-bai, Rukia-chan."

"Alright, I'll see you in the afternoon."

The door closed behind her as she walked off. He remained sitting peacefully, sitting at the kitchen table. His left hand held a glass of water. In the utter silence of the house, only a single tapping, a single rapping was heard. That sound of crystal colliding with wood. That glass of water resting within the long fingers. Lifting the cup, he brought down the bottom edge to the wooden surface.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Matsumoto

Tap.

She was the one who sent him to the hospital in the first place. Who found out the Gin who nobody knew. Who saw right through the tiny, tiny cracks of his mask.

Tap.

Rangiku

Tap.

He knew her since they were kids. She lived next door. Yes, she did. She held him that one time when he ran into her house. Running away from the beatings his father gave him. That same day when he came back, he was beaten again—

Tap.

_"Never show your face, Luve," his mother would purr, "When yur father beats you, lock yourself inside your room. Hide yur scars. Hide everything, much the way yur face hides the color of yur eyes. My beautiful child._

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

_My dear, dear, child._

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

That horrid look. That look of fear. Of absolute terror.

"So it was you, Gin. You're the one who's been doing this. Oh God, Oh God."

* * *

"Yeah, Rukia wanted to meet with me today."

"Where are you?"

"Oh, at the plaza."

"Hmm, that's strange. She didn't tell you where she lives? I could tell you. But that's good. She doesn't talk to Orihime anymore. Actually, I hardly see her anymore. She tells me everything's alright, but I'm worried, I don't know."

"Oh don't worry about it. I'm sure she just wants to walk around a bit, instead of staying at her place, besides I have a lot I need to tell her anyways."

"I guess. Thanks. Matsu, please don't tell her about us."

Matsumoto blinked.

"Why?"

"I feel it might make her feel uncomfortable."

"Ooh. I know what you mean. Don't worry, I'll cheer her up, you'll see."

"Thanks. I love you."

"Love you too."

Matsumoto closed her cell and sighed.

Time passed and flew. The people came and went. And Rangiku waited. Waited. Waited and waited. She looked at the time on her phone.

She promised to meet me three hours ago. What happened?

Renji had told her about the day she tried to kiss him. How she was uncontrollably shaking. He's been talking about her ever since. Of course she's not the person to get jealous. And she wasn't. She was just worried about her behavior. When people break down openly it's when they're completely broken inside. It's when they just can't take it anymore.

That scared her.

It scared her so much.

She believed that anyone with a worry with sadness should cry it out to the world. Forget about what others think—just say it. Because when you break down inside it drags your mind down with it…

She opened her cell phone. She decided to call Renji and ask him for Rukia's home address.

"I don't care if I spend all day. I'm going to help her," she muttered.

Halfway into dialing the number she, felt a sudden chill. Matsumoto's head jerked up. It wasn't the wind.

The passerbys moved about. A group of school girls cutting class rushed to get to the sweets café nearby. She stood staring at them, as soon as they moved, as they passed, she saw him.

A tall man, in a long black jacket in the middle of the summer. Faded blue jeans and smiling. Smiling with that smile.

Her clear eyes shook.

Yeah that look. That look of fear.

She rapidly clutched her purse and stood perfectly still.

"What are you doing here?" she asked expertly concealing any hint of nervousness.

"So mean, I missed ya."

"You, need help," she pushed him.

"I got help," he grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go."

He pulled her close his lips barely touching her ear. Rangiku, dug her free hand within her purse grabbing her switch blade.

"I luve you, I luve you," he said in a whisper.

She hesitated.

The grip on her wrist loosened.

"You hate me that much?"

The hand that held the blade immediately slipped from her fingers within the confinement of her purse.

He sensed my intentions?

"Question is—woulda do it?" he asked curiously.

"No, I'm not like you."

"Everybody has some dirty things they don like ta show."

"Not everybody kills people for a living—you're lucky I haven't told that part to anybody," her voice was low, "What happened to Rukia?"

"What are you talking about?"

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"Don't play dumb. She was supposed to meet me here—wait. She works at that hospital…" her voice trailed off.

"Come with me Rangiku."

"Where is Rukia?"

"I'm different."

"Where is Rukia?"

"Rangiku."

"Where is Rukia?"

"…"

"Where is Rukia?"

"At the hospital. She's working."

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing."

Her cell phone rang, she took it out of her purse just to see who it was. Renji.

Gin snatched it. He recognized it. Rukia talked about him. She told him that he was currently seeing someone.

"Give it to me," she hissed.

The phone rang again.

"Gin."

He flipped it open.

"_Today is the last day you will ever see her again._"

She snatched it.

He closed the call before she could take it.

"What did you do that for?!"

"Just joking. Wha? _Can't take a joke?_" he teased. The playfulness in his voice increased.

"Gin don't hurt him," she pleaded.

" I won't do nuthin, I promise. _I promise._ Ran, they lemme go from the hospital, I'm not the same as before, ya know?"

Her eyes widened a bit. Really? Is this true?

"Gin…" she trailed off to say but the sound of a car distracted her. Looking towards the street, she saw Renji's car.

Oh.

She looked back at Gin but he wasn't there. Rangiku looked left and right, not spotting him anywhere. Renji ran out to meet her.

"Matsu!" he embraced her and then parted. He held on to her shoulders, "I didn't think I'd find you here." His worried eyes skimmed her face for a response.

"Don't worry about the phone call, Renji. It was a prank pulled by an old friend."

"Where is he?"

"He just left."

Renji let go of her shoulders and hung his head.

"Sorry to say—that didn't feel like a prank."

"It's okay, relax, I need to know where Rukia lives."

He looked at her.

"What? You didn't meet with her?"

* * *

Later on that day, Rukia was drinking coffee at a doughnut shop during her lunch break. When someone walked up and sat in the same small table across from her.

He was a young man. Blonde with a nervous expression over his face, lips turned down in a frown. He carried a man bag slung over his shoulder. Settling more into his seat he directed his gaze towards her.

"Kuchiki Rukia, correct?"

She nodded. Who the heck what this guy?

"Kira Izuru, I've been meaning to speak with you."

"Obviously, you've been following me ever since I got out of my car."

His eyes widened from shock and wavered. He dropped his gaze towards the table.

"Sumimasen. I didn't mean to make you nervous."

"That's alright. I'm used to it already."

He gasped. A very small gasp and nodded slightly in understanding.

Why does he look so apologetic?

"It's because you're with him right?"

Now he got her attention. She leaned closer to him, "You know Gin?" she whispered.

To this he nodded meekly.

"Is he out of the hospital?"

"Yeah, for a while know—don't you know? You're the one he's been calling, right?"

He shook his head.

"But I know he's looking for me. I have his things."

* * *

**End Chapter**

**

* * *

**

**Preview**

_"You arranged to meet with Matsu, but you left her waiting. She stood for nearly three hours, ya know?"_

_"Matsu? Matsumoto? How did you know about that?"_

_Renji's lips thinned, realizing that his nickname for her slipped._

_"She's your girlfriend, right? Wow, small world," she mused._


	8. Total Confusion

* * *

Chapter 8 – Total Confusion

* * *

Rukia walked back into the hospital and found Dr. Urahara sitting in her chair. She stopped frozen at the entrance.

He slowly wheeled the chair around to face her. In his right hand he handled a CD he extracted from the disk drive.

"Rukia, what's this?"

Shit.

"I knew you were pretty handy with the computer, but hacking—that was beyond me."

Her mind wheeled desperately for an alibi.

"Tampering with medical records and even breaking into criminal databases—close the door."

She obeyed.

"Rukia, if you tell me what you've been up to, you won't get in trouble."

"I've been doing research."

"Oh come on, Rukia, you could do better than that…" he mused placing the disk on the table.

She sighed nervously.

"He's living with you."

The hand that clutched on her hand bag tightened, her knuckles bleached white.

"It felt weird to me so I looked into it with the HR director. I asked him to pull up your application to check the address to see if it matched."

"You have no right to that information."

"It's amazing what people will do with a little incentive."

"You sleazy jerk!"

"Why are you upset? Why do you feel guilty? I was the one who discharged him. I didn't find anything wrong with him. His **records** were clean."

She started to slightly shake.

Fuck. Rukia stop shaking. Stop it.

"Rukia, it's okay. I know who he is. Listen, if you work with me, we can get him back. But we have to play this flawlessly."

Rukia relaxed. He's not blaming me for anything. It's Gin's fault for getting himself out? No, but I willingly decided to help him.

"Rukia," she looked up to the doctor, "This is my mistake. Ichimaru-san is very, **very** clever. He doesn't have to forcefully control you to get you to do what he wants."

No. It's not like that. I do everything because I want to. It's not like that. It's not like he's controlling me. It's not like that at all.

"He hasn't done anything to you—has he?"

"No."

"Okay, no one knows of this yet, but I'll have the medical staff work with me on this."

Rukia do something. Do something! You can't let them take him away. You don't want to end up like before, do you? Miserable. Alone.

"He's gone all day."

"Hmmm?"

"All day and night. But he stays in the apartment during the weekends. If maybe you can stop by then."

"Are you sure he's stop by then?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Alright—today's Tuesday, correct?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'll prepare myself. Tomorrow I'll tell you the plan."

She nodded. As she walked towards the computer, Urahara stopped her.

"I want you to assist me, Rukia. I don't want you near the computer."

"But Doctor, I'm a secretary not a nurse."

He pouted, "But you'll make are very cute nurse!" Taking her hand, he led her out of the office, "Besides I don't trust you with the computer. Not while you're under his influence."

Her eyes widened.

* * *

Hinamori Momo walked briskly clutching on to her large handbag advancing towards a small intersection where she arranged to meet with someone. She looked anxious, hoping she wouldn't be watched or be considered suspicious.

She was tired of it. Tired of it all. His perverse suggestions, the harassments. The fake smiles—it just reached its peak when he called her weak minded. _Weak minded?!_ Oh I'll show him. It's bad enough that her boyfriend, Toushiro, was always so overprotective of her…

When she arrived, she saw him. Ichimaru Gin. He stood there with the usual smile.

"Welcome, what can I do for ya?"

* * *

Rukia came home later than usual feeling completely humiliated. Walking up the steps still wearing the sexy nurse outfit that the two-timing doctor made her wear. It was all in good fun; even Nemu wore something like it. A mini-mini skirt, a tiny top. Her cleavage hanging out in all its glory. It was a blast. All of the crew drooled and bled from their noses—heck, they even put music and danced with a couple of the patients.

Stopping at the door she saw a sticky note:

_Rukia,_

_Call me. I want to know about you._

_~ Renji ~_

"Renji," she whispered. She stopped noticing the hint of longing in her voice. She walked in the house and turned on the lights.

Gin's not home… she thought. This slightly relieved her. She needed time to collect her thoughts. The house phone rang, groaning, she picked it up.

"Rukia."

"_Nii-sama,_" She said more out of surprise than anything else.

"You haven't called me in weeks."

"Are you worried about me?" she refused to apologize and she bit her lip in doing so.

"Yes. Yes, I am."

Rukia's legs weakened as she fell unto the sofa.

"I'm sorry, Rukia. Truth is, I can't stand this distance between us."

"Nii-sama, why didn't you help me when I needed you the most? Why did you turn the other way?"

She could hear him sigh. He must be gathering his thoughts.

"Because you left the house, against my wishes, Rukia. You insisted on wanting to start a life on your own. I wanted to teach you a lesson."

"I'm sorry, Nii-sama," she apologized, remembering that she wasn't going to do it. But it was the sincerity of his voice. It was something she hadn't heard in _years_.

"Come back home, Rukia, please."

"Nii-sama…" she repeated, "L-let me think about it."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"Goodbye."

* * *

Byakuya remained with the open phone in his hand. There were more things he wanted to ask her.

_Was she eating right?_

_Was she sleeping well?_

_Is she upset?_

_Is she okay?_

_Is she?_

_Oh God, is she?_

But he had swallowed and kept all those urges to himself. She was to learn, so she can see how cruel the outside world was; so then she could come back. But it was too long and he was getting desperate. He wanted her. Wanted her.

It was weird. She was his sister. But his rebellious mind would think of other things. He washed his mind off as he finally closed the phone to the base.

* * *

Rukia pulled out the small piece of paper Kira gave her.

_"When you see him, give him this."_

She opened it and saw it was written in code:

**Yldvw wodm**

**yb Ifhsrmt Vlvnvmg,**

**Ivhgh Hsrmhl.**

**Rm gifhgvw szmwh**

**szou kzhg vev.**

She stared at it for a moment. She often wrote in code when in high school to Ichigo and Orihime. She was known for that—as well as for her drawings.

"Oh wow Kira," she smiled sweetly, "He doesn't do such a good job thinking up of an appropriate code," she thought out loud.

The last word "vev" if I change each of the letters to its opposite, it spells "eve". So if I go and replace each of the…. Yup, "z's" for "a's" yeah…seems like that's the trick to it. Now let's see here…

**Bowed down**

**by Rushing Element**

**Rests Shinso.**

**In trusted hands,**

**half past eve.**

"_I have his things."_

"Shinso," she whispered, "Than that must be the name of—a weapon?" Her heart chilled at the thought, "A katana most likely." She looked down at the note, thinking. "Trusted hands—he must be the one who is to give it to him. Yes. It explains "bowed down"—he's apologetic. "Half past eve" is defiantly 12:30 a.m. "Rushing Element" that's obvious—water—a river—the Karasu River!

The river runs through Karakura entirely, cuts the town in half. It must be a spot that they are used to meeting but where?

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"That's strange I don't remember locking it."

She stuffed the note in her pocket and went to open it. She was that it was indeed unlocked and pulled the door open slowly.

Renji stood tilting his head towards the small creek that Rukia allowed to open. Her violet eyes wavered. She pushed the door closed. But Renji stuck his hand in and kept it open.

"Rukia, what's going on?"

She surrendered and opened the door completely letting him in.

"I don't want you to worry anymore, Renji."

"Okay, but you don't have to close the door on me like that," he replied.

When he walked in, Renji flushed a deep red at the sight of her nurse outfit. Rukia just dismissed his reaction casually.

"Where did you—,"

"Stop. Don't ask."

"O-oh."

After a period of awkward silence, Renji continued.

"You arranged to meet with Matsu, but you left her waiting. She stood for nearly three hours, ya know."

"Matsu? Matsumoto? How did you know about that?"

Renji's lips thinned realizing that his nickname for her slipped.

"She's your girlfriend right? Wow, small world," she mused.

"Rukia, forget all that. Tell me what's going on so far. Update me."

"Why are you so interested?"

"Rukia, why are you closed to me? I'm your friend, you can trust me with anything. You always have!"

She tossed her head to the side crossing her arms doing so. She couldn't afford to tell him. Not after meeting Kira, after talking to Urahara. There was no way she wanted to tangle Renji into all this.

No, I have to keep him out of this, for his own safety. Apparently, Gin isn't the fun-loving man, he plays out to be. He could also be dangerous. Dangerous—but then that means—Matsumoto?

"Renji, I can't tell you, please."

"I'm usually cool with that, but, not now."

She looked towards him and saw his unwavering eyes staring straight at her.

"_Not while you're under his influence…"_

Rukia slightly gasped.

Why am I shielding him? Why? Why? Why? He doesn't control me, damnit. I've got my own free will. I have free reign. I am Rukia Kuchiki. Rukia doesn't get tugged around on strings like some cheap marionette.

Renji saw her serious facial expression change. He walked up to her and placed his hand on her head, "Go on, Rukia you can tell me."

"_You're a good girl, Rukia-chan. A very beautiful girl."_

"He—I—here—,"

"_Rukia-chan…"_

Her eyes watered, "w-with me—he—,"

"_Is there someone special to Rukia-chan?"_

The tears rolled down.

Renji embraced her and held her tightly within his arms.

Everything was changing. Byakuya wants me to come back home. Ends are met and here is Renji—I don't need Gin anymore. But I can't bring myself to tell him, and it's not because I'm afraid. No, it's not that. It's **me**. **I** don't want him to leave. **I** don't want to see him tied up at that crazy hospital—it doesn't suit him. No—**I** want him to stay with me. I—I…

"_Is there someone special to Rukia-chan?"_

Yes. Yes there is.

Renji felt her hand clinging on to his shirt tighten.

Rukia, he thought. Do you really _love_ me? Is she really jealous. No way, it can't be. Anyway, it's too late now. Heh. Yeah, I'm saying that now, but my heart's beating like crazy.

"Rukia," he rasped. The voice came out a bit more roughly than he expected.

He could be a murderer, Rukia. Don't fool yourself. You've been digging around databases to find evidence that points to it. The series of missing people before his interned stay at the hospital, also sends some red flags. I have to break him away from me. But even so, even so. I still want him to stay. I want to keep him safe…

"Don't you love Matsumoto?" she asked.

"I loved you first, Rukia."

She pulled him towards her and he eagerly devoured her in a deep-tongued kiss. She accepted him, opening her mouth, wrapping her arms tighter pressing her body against his chest.

Forget him. Forget him.

Renji, Renji.

Matsumoto pushed the door, "Hello, don't mind if I let myself—,"

She nearly dropped the purse she held. His large hand grabbed her leg, sliding upward grabbing her ass.

She steamed reaching for the coat rack next to the door, to throw something at Renji. Her hand grabbed a long sleeved shirt. A _men's_ long sleeve shirt.

Between the kisses, Rukia saw Rangiku and she pushed him away in shock.

"Matsumoto!" she cried weakly feeling ashamed of herself.

Renji boggled, stuttering like a bumbling idiot.

"Ma-Matsu—I—,"

"Shut up!" she barked bringing down her fifty-pound purse over his head. He fell unto the sofa right behind him. She immediately directed her gaze at Rukia.

"I'm sorry—I'm—,"

"Forget that," she cooed softly, "Do you know a man named, Ichimaru Gin?"

"Well… he…"

Matsumoto passed her the shirt.

"He's not using me, Matsumoto—honest!" she blurted.

Her eyes widened, he lives here doesn't he?"

Rukia could only avert her gaze. Everything was just going out of control.

"Wait—is that the guy who answered your phone, Matsu—who pulled my leg?"

"He wasn't pulling your leg—that man hasn't changed at all," she shifted the purse back on her shoulder, "Renji, phone the police. I'll be back."

"Matsu!" he cried, but regardless, she dashed off.

* * *

**End Chapter**

* * *

Notes: Poor Renji! That's what I was thinking as I was writing this. I had to go against my feelings in a lot of the future parts for the sake of the plot. So I hope you like, it gets really crazy from here on out. I lagged a bit with this update cuz I had to change a few things…

* * *

**Preview**

"_We're here,"______ muttered more to himself than to Rukia._

"_Where is it?" she asked._

_____ parked at a main street. Coming out of the car with her, he pointed towards the alleyway between two buildings._

"_There," he replied._

_They both walked in. As they progressed, cats surfaced from cracks in the walls, inside cardboard boxes, garbage cans and tanks._

"_Why are they're so many cats?" she asked out loud._


	9. Cutting the Strings

Hello! I'm trying not to take longer with my updates… I really am. It's just life is catching up to me. Good thing I always write ahead! I always place my theme as the title of all my stories. Every title I have carries a very significant meaning. And here is when you start seeing the theme of this fanfic.

Terminology

**Wakizashi – **A katana that is less than 2 ft long. It's longer than a dagger, but shorter than your average katana. It's usually the auxiliary weapon for the samurai.

**Obi**– It's the belt/band that wraps round the waist of the kimono.

**Scabbard** – sheath for the katana.

* * *

Chapter 9 – Cutting the Strings

* * *

**The Art of Manipulation.**

**The dance of the Marionettes,**

**to the grace of the Puppeteer.**

**Oh, how wonderful!**

**How painfully sweet.**

**Honeyed venom, melting on my tongue…**

**Tease, tease,**

**Sing—sing to me,**

**My dear.**

* * *

Sounds of the sirens echoed throughout the night, as they rushed about in the streets. They parked outside. The area was quarantined as investigators, and officers examined the scene of the crime.

"This isn't just a regular homicidal case—we're dealing with someone who love to kill," said the detective in charge. The chief of police nodded solemnly as he gazed over the body of the female mutilated corpse.

"Her head is missing…"

* * *

HOURS EARLIER

* * *

"Rukia, stop kicking!" shouted Renji who held her down.

"Don't, don't!" she cried as Renji dialed the local police department.

She grunted, struggled and kicked, and so, Renji sat on top of her.

"Whaa!"

"Yeah, hello—yeah, I'd like to tell you about someone that can possible be a threat."

Rukia wriggled a hand free. With it she began to tickle him.

"Yeah, his name is—uh, whaaa! Rukia, stop it—His name is Ichimaru Gin," he grabbed her free hand.

She wriggled and pulled out her other hand.

"Well, he threw a death threat, saying I wasn't going to see my girlfriend… For real—he was being serious."

Rukia slipped her hand down his pants, her fingertips slipping between his legs.

Renji bounce up almost immediately.

She dashed out the front door.

"R—Rukia!"

* * *

"Kisuke—hellooo…" hissed Dr. Kurotsuchi.

The blonde doctor stumbled out of his office. He had his coat on for he was getting ready to leave for the day.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I wouldn't keep that coat on if I were you," he sassed sarcastically as he motioned him to the office phone he held in his hand.

Urahara quickly paced towards him to retrieve it.

"Who is it?"

"The police."

"Shit."

"You're idiot, Kisuke," the clown faced doctor mused as he walked off, "I always knew you were gullible, but this tops the cake."

* * *

Rukia panted as she raced across streets. Running, running, running. She had no idea where she was going. She had no idea where to find him. All her mind could do was run away. She just couldn't stand by, sitting there, she had to do_ something_.

She stopped at the small park resting both hands on her lap as she caught her breath.

Now what do I do now? I left everything at the house, my car keys, my purse—everything.

"Kuchiki-san?"

Her ears perked up. That familiar dreary tone of voice. She whirled around find to Kira Izuru, with a slightly surprised expression over his face.

She dashed up to him. He held a soft drink in one hand which fell crashing to the ground as she shook him.

"Gin's in trouble—help me find him!" she pleaded.

"Did you give him the note?" he asked.

"I never got to meet him, please."

He gave her a wistful look as if he was going to regret dragging her along.

"Come, if you please," he replied taking her hand gently. He ran with her to his car. They got in, Kira jabbed the keys into the ignition.

"Please excuse the mess."

Indeed there were papers and such on the seat and all over the dash board. She reached for the seatbelt and as her feet shifted on the car mat, her left foot bumped against a small heavy object. Kira started the car and drove off. She reached down for the object.

It was black—rather heavy. Her heart dropped. A 9mm caliber pistol.

"Oh I'm sorry—that's mine. Could you pass it to me?"

Rukia meekly replied.

I guess, I should start getting used to this…. She thought.

There was a period of silence while Kira drove. The blonde looked over checking to see Rukia wistfully looking out the window.

"You could put the radio if you like."

"Kira-san, why are you doing this?"

"Eh?"

"Is it because you're forced to do this knowing it's wrong? Do you feel like he's drugged you in a way that you have no choice but to act on his behalf? Why? Why am I doing this?"

Kira smiled for the first time since they met.

"I chose to follow Ichimaru out of my _own free will._"

Rukia's eyes widened.

"I understand how you feel, I felt the same way, but then Ichimaru told me this:

_Manipulation sorta is a funny thing…_

_You say I'm using ya—and ya say that maybe—I'm not._

_You're right on both ends._

_Cuz, I noticed that everybody, even me—we're all puppets—the world that's the stage and our dance is our lives…_

_Who's the puppeteer? Who's pullin our strings?_

_God?_

_No._

_Ourselves?_

_No._

_**Other people.**_

_A puppet can't live without the pullin of the strings—we can't live, we can't breathe without being tugged around by others. Being __**manipulated **__by others._

_Sure, I'm using ya—no lie—but Kira, you're using me…_

Rukia remained silent sorting out the thoughts within her mind.

* * *

Hinamori was leaving Gin, pleased with the transaction she made with him.

"I'll get it done by the end of this week," Gin replied quite professionally.

"I expect no less," she added sweetly as she passed by him the money she had in the hand bag.

After she left, Gin then focused on his most pressing issue. He started walking around and wound up at the park. He knew it was a place where Matsumoto often walked through, spend time at. After all, countless were the times that they ran off to play games there.

Soon enough, he saw her crossing the street and across the grass to sit on the bench. She sighed as she flicked open her phone. Her fingers were about to dial a number when she sensed and incoming presence. She jolted but noticed the long black sleeved arms just wrapped around her neck gently in an embrace.

"Ran, won't ya play with me for a little bit longer?"

"No Gin—the games end now."

"Why?"

"You don't want to change—you lied to me."

"Pull my strings a bit longer Ran—come on, you could do better than that? You're driving me crazy. I'm hanging at your fingertips, pull me, pull me—make me dance."

She flung off his arms.

Gin stumbled backward. Matsumoto stood from her seat and turned around to face him. She walked around the bench to his direction. His smile disappeared, the eyes slightly opened, wavered slightly.

"Gin—I think you noticed already. I have a boyfriend. I don't love you—but you're my dearest friend. And everything I do is to help you. So let yourself get help. This is your last chance."

"You lie," he spat bitterly, "Ya have no idea that hell I went through—and ya neva came to see me—neva in the 944 days, 4 hours, and 17 minutes that I was there—I counted. You just want me locked up where _no one_ could see me. I'm not _stupid_ Rangiku—you're _scared_ of me."

Matsumoto nervously looked behind her.

"You're deathly 'fraid of me, that's why ya carry a knife, that's why you learned to fend yourself. Against people like me, right?"

"Gin, you kill people for a living—you killed my father."

"He was a drunken bastard Ran! He was beatin ya and he beat yur Ma ta death. I can't sit back and let that happen to you. 'Sides, I'm not the only guy who kills—,"

"I know your parents were murdered—but just because someone does that, doesn't give you the right to take people's—,"

"I killed them, Ran."

"What? What did you say?"

"I killed ma old man Ran, with these hands…"

* * *

_A woman of long silver hair and kitsune eyes stood at the doorway of her bedroom. She was beautiful with pearly white skin, wearing a black and silver kimono tied loosely about her. It was her only layer splitting at the top exposing an entire leg._

_Strapped at her obi was Shinsou a katana that was no longer than a wakizashi._

_She stood at the doorway staring straight at her bed. At her slaughtered husband. A ten year old boy held in his trembling hands a large kitchen knife._

_"Gin, luv, did you do this?"_

_The boy of small stature could only stare at his mother. He jerked his head in the direction of the bed. It was heavily soaked in blood, the neck nearly severed, multiple stab wounds to the chest. An act committed while the man was in drunken sleep. The boy looked back completely at loss of a voice._

_"Tell me luv, what happened?"_

_No response._

_"Give me the knife."_

_The boy complied and in exchange, she gave him Shinsou._

_"You're indeed ma boy—Now, kill me."_

* * *

"… I killed my mother, too."

She backed up from him slowly.

"Ran, ya say that I don want to change. What if—what if I _can't_. What if, this is what I am, Ran, could you still take me, still?"

* * *

We're here." Kira muttered more to himself than to Rukia.

"Where is it?" she asked.

Kira parked at a main street. Coming out of the car with her, he pointed towards an alleyway between two buildings.

"There," he replied.

They both walked in. As they progressed, cats surfaced from cracks in the walls, inside cupboard boxes, garbage cans and tanks.

"Why are they're so many cats?" she asked out loud.

Kira remained silent taking her hand so not to lose her. There was this one cat, a white one, at the very end with its glinting crystal blue eyes that slipped into an iron door left ajar at the very end of the alley. Kira followed it silently.

"Kira-san, that's a very strange cat, it's the first time I've seen a white cat with blue eyes."

"It's his favorite," he simply replied.

Opening the door, Rukia found herself entering in a decapitating room. Boxes of instant food, take out, and pizza boxes lay about. Newspapers were scattered all over the floor. Bowls and bowls littered the floor. Some kittens fed off of them, most of them filled with milk.

"Never knew Gin was a cat lover…" Rukia mused as she carefully stepped over them.

"No, this is a friend—since he can track him down for us—but he's not easy to convince. I just hope he isn't in a bad mood."

Rukia nodded in agreement.

I have to admit, thought Rukia to herself, this is getting rather exciting.

They reached the door at the end of the room; Kira took a deep breath before pulling it open.

The room was dim. The lighting was very bad.

"Meow."

Rukia looked towards the sound. Ahead of her she saw not one but, two pairs of bright cerulean eyes. Both cat-like, one larger, one smaller. One deeper in color, one lighter.

Kira using his hand feeling against the wall; found the light switch and flicked it on. The bulbs attached to the walls flickered on. They continued to flicker because of the electricity that flowed through them was inconsistent.

Rukia stood in awe. The large deep cerulean eyes belonged to a man not a cat. His hair a lighter blue fell about his face. He appeared drugged in sleep, groggy, and much to Kira's dismay—pissed off. The white cat from before rested on his shoulder. Her small nose at his ear—to Rukia the feline appeared to be whispering to him. It arched its back and made her way around his shoulders, purring, purring.

In that silence the cat-man just stared. Rukia immediately looked at Kira and saw that he was slightly shaking.

Wait. He's dangerous right? He could kill us right here—right?

"I'm waiting for you to speak—dumbass!" he practically shouted.

Rukia jumped from shock, not fright, from the sudden voice.

"I-I'm sorry," he replied.

"That bastard fox was looking for you. Where the hell where you?!"

"Out of the country," Kira replied.

"Feh, why come here? I was sleeping, shithead. Whadda want?"

"Well, I so happen to be looking for him now. I was hoping you could help us…"

The man turned his attention towards Rukia.

"Who are you?"

"Kuchiki Rukia, nice to meet you," she replied with a curtsied bow.

"Eh? Kuchiki?!" A deliciously wide grin spread across his face, "Well that bastard was really serious about that! Heh heh…." The man took to his feet, the large heavy black boots hitting the ground. He wore black cargos several belts strapped around his waist. She saw that one of them held a scabbard with a katana sheathed within it. He wore a short sleeved black jacket, unzipped exposing his bare chest. The cat jumped off of him and remained at his feet, purring, purring—making her way around his boots.

"The name's Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, and don't forget it!"

"Yes sir!" she replied feeling infected by the commanding tone of voice.

Everything about him even the way he had rested on his chair—commanded, asked for the respect of a _king_. It was something that was not said, rather, it was felt. Rukia felt quite relieved that he didn't comment on the nurse outfit she wore, instead he walked towards Kira,

"Izuru, I'll help you find him. I borrowed money from him a while back—so I wanna see if I can cut a little deal, ya know…" His sharp eyes veered in Rukia's direction grilling her with its intensity.

Ever since Grimmjow heard my sur name, he's been acting really friendly. No surprise, my family's rich. Gin is after my money, no doubt—since I see him get his hands on cash so easily. I'm just a target he's been saving for last… But I really want to see him… I really need to talk to him…

* * *

"You're mad," Rangiku sputtered. Her hand dug into her purse again.

He noticed that the more, and more he tried, her behavior towards him only got worse and worse.

If this is Ran—_then what of Rukia-chan?_ If she were ever to learn bout me… no doubt it'd end up the same way…Damnit. If it weren't for this stupid thing beatin in my chest—I woulda killed Ran already, but I can't. No. Not now, not here—no while she's still looking at me like that…

A black car drove up. The front passenger window dropped slowly to reveal Grimmjow's face and his white cat sitting comfortably at his lap.

"Get in."

Rangiku turned and saw the car, saw Grimmjow who stared back suspiciously at her, and turned back towards him.

"You're not alone?" she asked.

Gin walked passed her soundlessly towards the car.

"No, they don't know nuthin."

"Is that a lie?"

Gin placed a hand grabbing the handle of the back door, "Is you saying I'm your dearest friend, a lie?" He walked in the back seat. The door was shut and the car drove off.

Matsumoto just stood there surprised that he never tried to do anything to her.

"Yes, Gin, that was a lie."

* * *

**End Chapter**

* * *

Note: Are you guys confused by the time frame?

_Chap 7_ - Early morning, Rukia leaves for work. Gin meets with Rangiku around 10:30 am or so. Rukia breaks at 12:00 pm and meets Kira.

_Chap 8 _– After lunch, Rukia meets Urahara. During that time, Gin runs several errands later on, meeting Momo at a street corner. Around 3:00 pm –ish Rukia comes home from work. Meets Renji eventually Rangiku. Rangiku leaves.

_Chap 9 - _Rukia runs off and a few minutes later she meets Kira. They go to Grimmjow. After they leave, Gin meets Rangiku. While they talk, Kira and co. find him and go to pick him up.

By now, it's 5-6pm, around there…

Okay, I hope that's it's not too confusing. Chap 10 is going to play out the rest of the day. Then Chap 11 starts fresh. 9 and 10 were supposed to be one chapter. But I can't type all that up at once. So, I split it in two.

Oh, do you like the poem? I wrote it ^///^ I like to pretend I'm a poet. It continues on the next chap. Until then enjoy!

* * *

**Preview**

_Matsumoto sat on her sofa with the TV on. She dropped her head down on her drawn up knees and shuddered several times._

_Rukia, oh God, Rukia. You had nothing to do with him. And he just found you and used you to his bidding._

_She remembered the call to the police._

_"Just call us when something comes up."_

_In the end, I'm all alone—oh Renji. Renji, forget her for once. Come here, come here. She's dead already, please. Yeah right, I can't tell him that, but still…_

* * *


	10. Cutting the Strings II

_**

* * *

The rating has now gone up to "M" for obvious reasons…

* * *

**_

Surprise, surprise! I know it's taken longer than my usual updates—so I put up two chapters to make up for it. Hope you like, worked extra hard on them. And to avoid populating the chapter updates with all this extra babble (like I'm doing right now) I put extra info on the updates, my commentary on this fanfic and others that I post on this site on my livejournal account (You can find the link on my profile page) It's optional, but you can check out what I have to say and possible hints of what's to come in future chapters! I do artwork too, so when I get around to sketch illustrations I'll post it up there as well.

Well, that being said…

Thank you for the reviews, they are a continuous drive for me to keep going. JollyBigSis, I often write with your comments in mind. Thank you for your thoughts and feelings. TDW, thanks for your advice and support—and to everyone else—thank you **so** much!

To Deirdre: Of course—crack is **always** love, so much love!

My my… I've created confusion with the preview and opening of the last chapter, I really didn't realize until the reviews came in… It'll all make sense now, don't worry.

And now I'll shut up and let you guys read the chapter… OxO

* * *

Chapter 10 – Cutting the Strings II

* * *

**Sing to me,**

**Polish me,**

**Porcelain, ebony**

**Spotless and perfect**

**Take up my strings**

**Make sure they don't tangle,**

**Make sure they're all straight,**

**From there it causes my dance.**

**The Art of Manipulation**

**Know,**

**Must know,**

**The source of the Strings**

**My dear puppeteer **

**Is from my Heart**

**So pull gently,**

**Pull gently…**

**My Dear**

* * *

Settling into the car, Ichimaru Gin received several surprises. His long lost partner Kira Izuru was driving—Grimmjow now knew about his incoming heist at the Kuchiki manor—and Rukia was there—and she knew—she knew a lot of things. Not everything, but a lot.

He looked over to her. They both sat at the back seat with Kira and Grimm at the front. Rukia quietly steamed.

She saw me talking to Ran, he thought. She might be collecting her thoughts to scold me. But how much does she know? Regardless if I hava ta, I'll tie her down to get what I want outta her… damn don't freak out, I wouldn't want to do that now… I don't need that kind of problem now…

"This your nine?" asked Grimm after he pulled Kira's gun from the glove compartment.

"Please put that back," he pleaded.

Grimm ignored him and opened it.

"Yo, this shit's loaded—coulda shot that fuckin blonde—she knows doesn't she?"

"No," replied Gin coldly.

"You're going to hurt Matsumoto, aren't you?"

Gin turned his head towards the petite woman who sat looking out the window. She sat with her back straight, her hand folded neatly at her lap. The large violet eyes steady, her visage reflected an unmoving pool of water, perfectly still, perfectly unwavering. Cold.

Gin's eyes widened a bit. He didn't expect that kind of reaction from her. It seemed she wasn't afraid at all. This took away the thought of threatening her. And suddenly somewhere deep inside, he imagined that she was understanding him. But from the way she spoke, he knew that it was nothing but a fancy playing in his mind.

"She made Renji call the police on you."

"She what?!" cried Grimmjow. He turned his head around in Gin's direction, "That's the fuckin bitch—right? You lying-ass fox! If I get caught by the pigs cuz of you, I'ma fuck—,"

"I erased all pass criminal records you had." Rukia cut in calmly, "Even that cold case that had your name tied to it as a prime suspect—all of it."

To this Gin could only utter, "Rukia…" it was something beyond him.

"I got caught in the end, but the changes had already been made."

Grimmjow, just zipped his mouth shut and settled back into his seat.

"So even if they receive a call, they can't look up his name in the records because it's gone right?" popped Kira who was slowly taking all this in, "You can't catch a criminal without the proper evidence, correct?"

"Correct. The judicial system is slow, unless Matsumoto had evidence to mobilize the police, all they can do is just snoop around," Rukia when she finished speaking turned her head in Gin's direction, "All I ask you—you can hurt and kill anybody you like, but please, the only person, the one I'd ask you to leave untouched—is Renji."

"Fine, I promise."

"Heh, stupid fox lies outta his ass," scoffed Grimm.

But Rukia caught that look in his eyes. A look she rarely got to see and she knew—that it was indeed promise.

She smiled a little.

Do I have an influence in his life? Am I able to tug him around or? Well, in spite of everything, I'm happy to see him. Happy to know that he's safe.

"That looks very cute on you."

"Huh?" Rukia's face went scarlet, as she suddenly remembered what she was wearing. She turned to see that he was looking down on her. His smile ever so playful and the sound of his voice warm, musical even, as he sang his words in that drawl he often carried.

"It was awful!" she pouted, "At work, that sleazy doctor made me wear this—and well let's just say it was a huge mess…" she growled in the end.

"Aww… that must've been fun," he cooed leaning over towards her ear, "Had'ya been my nurse—I would of neva left."

"Do you mean that?" she countered starting straight at his face, which was quite close to hers. Her cheeks glowed in spite of the serious expression she kept.

"Course I do," he purred. His eyes drew attention to her lips, a temptation to finish the kiss from that time.

There was no doubt, he had a certain attachment to her. There was this something that kept her in the back of his mind, even when he had thoughts of Rangiku. It was her and then—what about Rukia? The name always surfaced in the end.

Rukia.

The woman that was fearless even when she rattled in fear.

Rukia.

With those large violet-blue eyes…

Rukia saw him part, just when he was inches away from her lips. Her heart still rattled madly in her chest, refusing to settle down. But eventually it did.

There were more things she had wanted to say, but, that moment distracted her completely. Her heart not wanting to care about the details anymore. Just and only wanted to feel those lips that hovered so close to finally press against her again, but to be real this time. As she looked out of the window, she felt his gaze on her. A common feeling, but somehow is brought her a feeling of pleasure.

She shook her head as she tried hard to dismiss that feeling.

Kira drove and drove and Rukia noticed that they left the city—he was heading for the countryside. Passing and watching the trees in green blurs, Rukia began to feel sleep creep up one her. She continued to stare out the window silently occasionally hearing bouts of conversation between Grimmjow and Kira.

She suddenly felt a warm hand rest over her head and then move slowly over her shoulders. Silently, silently her head drooped as it crashed softly against his chest and on his lap. The hands soothingly petted her as she drifted deeper in sleep.

Warm so warm.

He held her sweetly comfortably in silence.

It's strange for him to be this quiet. Or maybe it was strange for him to be such a chatty person? Whatever it may be, I like this better.

Kira looked towards the rearview mirror. Gin caught his gaze and smiled back. Grimmjow rested back on his seat, purring deeply in sleep. His cat rested peacefully at his lap.

A while later, Rukia felt something soft press at her forehead, feeling a warm breath blow seamlessly.

"Wake up, Hun, we're here."

She sat up bolted.

_He kissed my forehead…_ She blushed.

She looked about, Gin smiled as he got out of the car—she was the only one in it. When she climbed out, she saw what looked like the forest, a shrine-house that was no longer in use standing before her. She looked around. The sun had set and the darkening sky was filled with the latent colors of the sunset.

Grimmjow was stretching his legs, Kira was sitting on a rock drinking off a water bottle and Gin looked off towards the shrine, both hands in his pockets.

"Meow."

Rukia looked down. The white cat from before was staring up at her. She carefully bent down and picked her up. She purred as she rubbed her face against Rukia's cheek. She chuckled.

"Be careful, she scratches real bad," Kira warned.

Grim turned and saw his feline cuddling up to her, "She likes her," he grumbled to himself, "Courora!" he called, "come' ere!"

The cat nimbly obeyed, jumping out of Rukia's arms. Grim looked at her with a cautious gaze.

"What was that all bout?" Rukia mumbled to herself.

"Now—let's talk business!" boomed Grimm towards Gin.

"Well, bout that…" he began with a smile.

"Ichimaru Gin."

Rukia looked towards the entrance of the shrine house. Four people walked out to meet them. The one who spoke was inhumanly pale, green eyes that bled its vivid color down his cheeks. He was stoic completely expressionless. The man next to him was unbelievably tall. Wearing an eye patch and a large annoyed smirk over his face. The other two was another man—and a woman. He appeared quite average in comparison to the other two with dark hair and trimmed facial hair. The woman was dark-skinned and blonde. She had a large bust and wore a jacket that covered the bottom half of her face.

"Who are they?" asked Rukia as she walked up to Kira.

"Oh right," Kira pointed to the pale-faced man, "That is Ulquiorra Schiffer," he then moved his finger towards the tall man, "Nnorita Jiruga," and towards the dark-haired man, "Stark, and Halibel."

Rukia nodded as she took all of this information in.

Grimmjow turned and saw them and then turned back to Gin's direction

"I'm the last to know?"

"I knew you were gonna—,"

"Look, I'll help you and then I've paid back—,"

"Kitty-kitty, you owe me half a million dollars, don think a lil favor's gonna cover everythin."

Grimmjow huffed and crossed his arms in frustration, "This is fucked up, I tell you, real fucked up."

Rukia nearly gagged. _Half a million?_

Halibel sighed and then walked in followed by Stark.

"So is ol'Gimmy gonna help us now?" Nnorita asked sarcastically.

Let's take this inside, shall we?" Gin suggested.

Rukia was led to a room where she wasn't allowed to leave with Kira being the only one inside to accompany her. She saw that he was sitting at small round table scribbling something in a notebook. Rukia pulled up a chair next to him.

"What's that?" she asked curiously. She tried to stick her nose a little over his shoulder. Kira immediately snapped it shut, his face flushing a furious red color.

"N-nothing. Just writings."

"A diary?" she cooed deviously.

"N-no. I write poems. At least I try to."

"Poems? Really can you read me one?"

"Um… I'm working on one right now. But when I finished with it—I'll read it to you—promise."

"Okay," Rukia smiled, "I'll wait on it."

There was a period of silence before Kira himself, broke it.

"I used to be a journalist. You know, write articles on the newspapers and such."

Rukia looked up.

"I was always known for writing those unspeakable horrific murder cases. I myself was fascinated with it, always wondering what kind of mind would commit it," Kira sighed as he leaned back on his chair. "I wanted to expose the entire world with my writing. Show those blissful white-collar workers living at the top layer of society—the misery, the sorrow that raced rampant across the streets. To waked them up from their fantasy…but…. My columns where nothing but sensational blockbusters that seems straight out of horror movies.. A story that people picked up, read and tossed aside."

"I think I read one of your articles a long time ago," said Rukia remembering the time she lived with her brother. He was always reading the morning paper, and on day, Kira's story had caught her eye.

"I eventually quit my job, and started to write stories. I felt lost, I didn't know what to do. All around me, I saw constant misery, suffering, pain and sorrow. I eventually managed to publish a couple of books," Kira paused to look at her. "They were all horror stories, it sold many copies," he looked back down towards his notebook.

"I never saw your name," Rukia piped up, "I read horror novels all the time."

"I wrote under a penname."

Rukia's eyes widened a bit.

"W-wabisuke?"

"K. I. Wabisuke—yes it's a very awkward name, but I felt it was appropriate. I did so to preserve the little privacy I had."

"Oh god, I love you!" she wailed, flinging herself at him.

Kira blinking in surprise.

"You should see my bookcase at home—it's filled with your works! My favorite was, _Crimson Bride_—that was beautiful, I've must of read it like a thousand times!" she finished as she settled back in her chair.

"Thank you," he replied smiling a bit, "There is something about you, that's different in anyone that I have ever met. I hope Ichimaru doesn't kill you."

To this Rukia froze. Kill? Kill me? Yeah, I understand using me and all, but kill me? Was I really just a stepping stone? For him? For Kira? For everyone else?

She remembered Grimmjow's wild grin.

_"Kuchiki?!"_

Kira Izuru stood and picked up his notebook from the table.

"I'll be bringing you something to eat," he walked towards the door. He slid it open and stepped out and began to close it. It was reduced to only a crack in which his face showed.

"Please stay in your room, Kuchiki-san, for your own safety." The door slid shut.

* * *

"That's how we're gonna work everythin out," clarified Ichimaru as he finalized the meeting.

"Hol' on!" cried Nnorita—this bastard is gonna get a share of the loot?" he scoffed pointing at Grimmjow.

"Put that finger down, or I'ma break it!"

"I wanna see ya try it Kitty-bitch!"

"Fuck you!"

"We need to give this time," Gin began to speak over their voices. A week would be nice."

"Are you leaving?" Ulquiorra asked calmly.

"Yeah, gotta take care of a coupla jobs—need to be up to date. Just stock up on whateva ya need."

"Don't worry we'll just do what needs to be done," replied Stark in a relaxed tone, "What of the little lady?"

"Kira will take care of her—I don't want any of ya laying a finger on her—if you know what I'm saying," with this he cocked his head in Grimm's direction.

"Fuck you," he simply replied.

"Don't complain," answered Gin, as he made his way to the screen door, "I'm paying you for this."

"What?!" Nnorita barked, "You better give me the same amount you promised me!"

The door slid open and Gin left.

"Bastard!" growled Nnorita as his fist hit the table.

"Heh, heh…" Grimmjow just cheesed, "I knew he'd give in the end..."

Gin walked down the hall and met with Kira who just walked out of Rukia's room.

"Are you leaving now?" the blond asked.

"Yeah, gimme Shinso."

He whirled around and went to his room where he kept his things. Gin stood at the doorway waiting. Kira went through his stuff and pulled out a small katana that was wrapped up in cloth. He turned and walked towards him.

Unwrapping it carefully, it exposed a wakizashi sealed within it's scabbard. Gin reached his hand to grab it.

* * *

_For some strange reason it felt light in his hands. The scabbard clattered to the ground as the boy's inexperienced hands grabbed it the blade at the handle. It was small, sharp. The Japanese steel glinted beautifully in the dark. _

_"But Ma, I don wanna, I don wanna,"_

_"Swing your blade boy."_

* * *

Hoisting it around his waist Gin turned to leave.

"Kira, treat her well, keep her safe."

"You can count on me," he replied with a slight bow.

And with that, he walked off.

* * *

The moon rose high in the horizon and Matsumoto was restless in sleep. She had called Renji several times and when he finally picked up he had told her that he was desperately searching for Rukia.

Rukia? She thought, I saw her in that black car that pulled up at the park. When Gin opened the door… I thought I saw her… Just for a moment. No, it can't be… but it's true she, she might be dead already.

"Matsu?"

"N-no, it's nothing." She close the cell phone afterwards

Matsumoto sat on the sofa with the TV on. She dropped her head to her drawn up knees and shuddered several times.

Rukia, oh god, Rukia. You had nothing to do with him. And he just found her and used her to his bidding.

She remembered the call to the police.

_"Just call us when something comes up."_

In the end, I'm all alone—oh Renji, Renji forget her for once. Come here, come here. She's dead already, please. Yeah right, I can't tell him that, but still.

She reached for her cell phone that was next to her on the sofa and began to dial Renji's number. As the phone began to ring, she walked towards the window and pulled back the drapes. It was very dark and it was raining.

"Matsu!"

"Renji, come here, please!"

"Matsu," she could hear his heavy breathing, "I've looked everywhere... it's all my fault. I should've"

"Are you outside? It's raining like crazy!"

"Forget that, Rukia ran off **hours** ago, without anything on her—Matsu, and I called Ichigo, he knows nothing, neither Chad or Ishida—nobody, nobody has seen her anywhere! It's like she just, just—,"

"Renji, relax, come to my place. I'll make you something warm to drink and we'll talk about what we can do."

"Talking ain't gonna help, Matsu. Rukia could—,"

"For God's sake! Is that all you talk about?! Rukia! Rukia! Rukia!" she closed the call abruptly and settled on a chair that was next to the window where she stood.

The house was silent except for the babbling emanating from the television.

**Knock. Knock. Knock.**

Matsumoto jerked her head toward the direction of her front door.

**Knock. Knock. Knock.**

She rapidly stood and went to her room. At her drawer she pulled out one of the compartments to access another one that was behind it. Within it was a .24 caliber handgun. She took it and reached for her cell phone again.

**Knock. Knock. Knock.**

She slowly walked towards the door.

"Hello?" she asked as calmly as she could. She crept slowly towards the front door.

"Matsu, it's me, Matsu!"

Her heart lifted in relief and she quickly placed the loaded gun down on a small lamp stand that happened to be near the door.

"Oh god, Renji!" she called as she removed the locks on her door, "I thought you woul—,"

As soon as the locks were undone, the door swung open. Gin rushed in muffling her with his hand and closing the door with his foot.

"Pretty neat trick eh?"

Her scream was stifled as her clear eyes shook with fear. Her hand was reaching for the lamp stand and Gin seeing that her fingers wrapped around the gun, he let her go. She backed up lifting the gun and holding it with her two hands.

"How did you do that—was that really your voice?" she asked nervously not once lowering the gun from its aim.

Ichimaru tilted his head a bit with a slight frown. His pose was relaxed, calm. It was as if his life wasn't threatened at all.

"You totally forgot Rangiku? Really? When we were kids, we'd be sitting at the park an' I copied all the sounds the birds be makin,"

After he said this, he whistled the sounds of a blue jay, cardinal, and several different calls of a house finch.

Her eyes widened. She remembered. How she'd laugh and laugh. How she'd beg for him to do it again.

"I copy all kinds of sounds, Ran, even the sounds people make," he took a step and grabbed at a long wrapped katana he had bought along the way there.

"Don't move!" she cried, "I'll shoot you, Gin, I swear, I'll shoot you dead."

"Really?" he replied his eyes widening, revealing a sickly crimson color.

He swung the wrapped blade before her fingers would press the trigger, knocking the gun out of her hands. It fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

BANG!

The gun shot out once, the bullet whizzing straight towards the television. It short circuited, making a loud popping sound before smoking in the end.

Matsumoto looked straight at him, shaking involuntarily.

"Here," he said plainly as he threw the wrapped blade to her.

Her trembling hands took it and slowly unraveling it she was it was indeed a katana. Polished sharpened, unused, still stored in it's sheath. Looking up she saw that his own hands reached for his own that rested at his waist.

"Let's play one last time Ran, for ol' time's sake."

* * *

_The boy rushed out of the room with Shinso in hand. The woman let the boy run, following soon after closing the door behind her._

_"Ma," the boy cried weakly._

_She dashed towards him suddenly swinging the bloodied knife. As a reflex the child blocked it with his blade._

_"Listen to him, listen to his voice,"_

_The child's eyes widened._

_"We exist to feed his thirst for blood, his thirst to kill."_

* * *

The clash of blade on blade rang throughout the house, cutting up the furniture, knocking down vases and picture frames, slashing the wallpaper walls…

* * *

_"It's in our existence to fulfill that need, that thirst."_

* * *

Matsumoto backed up into the kitchen. One of her free hands grabbed a bag of flour and flung it in his direction.

His blade cut it right down the middle, filling the air with its white powder.

* * *

_"Following this instinct should be stronger than your love for me, your love for your friends—above everyone—above everything. Because this is our pleasure, our joy. Our ecstasy the thrill of the hunt—this act of killing."_

* * *

Matsumoto stumbled back to the refrigerator the magnets and the sticky notes scattering to the floor. His blade unnaturally stretched pinning itself right next to her neck.

The crimson eyes glided from the waist towards the large bosom to meet her eyes. The bloody color paralyzed her, numbing her arms, her legs. The blade she held clattered to the floor. She tried to speak but not a word formed at her lips, she tried to cry but no tears collected at the edge of her eyes.

"I don wanna do this," he whispered as if forbidden to say, "I don wanna kill you…"

Shocked, stunned she was to see a single tear spill from his left eye.

"But I must."

* * *

"Multiple stab wounds to the chest and lower abdomen. Apparently the killer was aiming for the vital organs. Both ankles were slit. The victims most likely bled to death before being decapitated. We'll have an autopsy performed on the body to confirm anything else." Concluded the detective as he spoke into his tape recorder.

The police chief made his way carefully around the house.

"It looks like she tried to defend herself."

The investigators went silent when they heard what sounded like a cell phone ringing.

The police chief answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Err, hello, who's this?"

"Chief of Karkura Police department."

"Officer! Is Mastumoto Rangiku, there?"

"What's your name?"

"Abarai Renji."

"Abarai? Where you the young man who called earlier?"

"Yeah…"

"Is Matsumoto-san your girlfriend?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh God…"

* * *

_"Shoot—shoot to kill, Shinso."_

_He stabbed her. Right through her body it sent her flying to the wall. She gagged and coughed as the blood bubbled up seeping through her teeth, dribbling between her ruby red lips, and down her chin._

_"Ahh, that's it my child. My beautiful boy."_

_The blade retracted and the boy stumbled back from the recoil._

_**Come, come, stab her, stab her more.**_

_**More deeper—harder faster…**_

_The boy's eyes which were wide by now—threw Shinso aside and raced towards his mother._

_"My child. My baby boy," she cooed weakly, "You can't ignore it for long, it's been calling you this whole time."_

_"Why you? Why you, Mama?"_

_"It's our curse. Shinso has called now, luv, you must obey. Our eyes are stained by the blood of our victims, generation, by generation."_

_"But I'm sad Mama, I don wan you to go, Mama"_

_"Smile, Gin, smile—that's the only reason you'll do so, to hide our cursed sadness,_

_My dear, dear child."_

* * *

Gin stood under a bridge at the Karasu River, holding in his hands a wrapped up bundle soaked in blood.

"Sorry Rangiku—sorry. I know ya didn't hafta love me, I just hope ya could take me as I am. I hoped I could of show ya the real me, and ya can take me as I am," he placed the bundle into the flowing river.

"But I told ya, and cuz of that, I killed ya. It's all my fault Ran. I'm sorry."

_I foolishly thought I could be happy._

* * *

**Pull gently,**

**It hurts when you tug so hard.**

**It pains me so,**

**I feel to die.**

**Cut my strings,**

**Cut them all,**

**The honeyed venom is,**

**Killing me now,**

**The venom is,**

**Killing me now…**

**The Art of Manipulation,**

**The Art of—**

**Handling the strings,**

**That handle you.**

**

* * *

**

END CHAPTER

* * *

Notes: Gin isn't someone who constantly holds regrets. He feels them and lets them go… So dropping her face into the river is saying, "Your image is out of my memory. I won't let it drag me down anymore. Goodbye."

**Preview:**

_He stabbed him again and again and again and again and again._

_"Hello! Hello?!"_

_The door behind him rattled._

_"Professor?! Professor, what's going on?"  
_


	11. The True Bloody Colors

* * *

Chapter 11 – The True Bloody Colors

* * *

Byakuya Kuchiki was emotionally upset. His heart was torn up to shreds in worry. In anguish.

Yet there he stood. Calm as the eye of the hurricane—going to work—doing all he normally did. His servants never saw him fret, his co-workers never saw him shed a single tear. Moving normally, constantly like a well-oiled machine.

However, there were several internal factors everyone missed catching. He had trouble sleeping, taking sleeping aids to knock him out every night. He suffered from terrible stomach pains, and she moved out of his loft condo back to the manor which is an Edo-style mansion where all the family treasures where stored.

He, himself had gone downstairs to the lowest floors and places more locks on top of the locks he already had, because a gut feeling told him so.

Renji hit with the murder of Matsumoto and the disappearance of Rukia, was robbed of spirit. He never saw the body, they never let him, but after insisting, he saw pictures. He constantly heard Matsumoto's pleas asking him to come and visit her. He would walk pathetically to the foot of her apartment muttering,

"I'm here, Matsu, I'm here."

Ichigo couldn't take it anymore and so one day he literally dragged the redhead to his home where he lived with Orihime.

"Renji—snap out of it!"

He grabbed a bucket of water and doused him with it. After several different attempts like this, Renji became a bit more functional. Still a bit lost and absent minded but at least he reacted to Ichigo's voice.

"Where's Rukia—did you ever find her?" he asked sitting across from him in the living room. Orihime wasn't home, she was out food shopping.

"She's gone, the kiltltokthemmawawyy…"

"Renji," Ichigo stood and placed his hand on his shoulder, "Try and say that again, what happened to her?"

"She's missing since that day—that same night Matsu was—Rukia was gone—she ran off—I couldn't—It's all my fault."

"What the hell are you talking about? How could it be your fault? You were always there for Rukia—I've been nothing but a total jerk to her. It's because she—and the way I…" Ichigo closed his eyes before speaking again, "Let's start searching for her,"

"It's no use," Renji shook his head bitterly, "The police is on it anyways…"

"And you think that's good enough? Hell, come on, Renji, we'll lift earth and sky to find her—and in the end we'll find her, damnit."

Renji looked up at him.

"You have to think about it that way, we have to—I'll never forgive myself if Rukia was—," Ichigo choked but tried in vain to conceal his fear.

Renji smiled feeling his will coming back.

"Alright—let's start off with someone who could help up."

* * *

Byakuya was filling out several forms when his secretary Nanao Ise walked in.

"Kuchiki-san you have two visitors Abarai-san and Kurosaki-san. They arrived without appointments, what shall I do?"

"Let them in."

"Yes, sir."

The two young men entered the room. Renji whose eyes avoided meeting the steel grey ones. And Ichigo, his expression firm with his hands set deep within his pockets.

"We-we're,"

"What is it?" Byakuya interjected cutting off the stuttering red-head.

"It's been three days—and there's no sign of Rukia and with reports of a murder on the loose doesn't that move you to actually do something?!" cut in Ichigo.

"This is none of your concern. I already have made the necessary actions to find her. All of your efforts are futile and a waste of time," Byakuya shuffled through some documents as he placed them within their proper folders.

"Tch, for a worried older brother you're pretty energetic. Looks like you really don't care at all," Ichigo scoffed.

"Did they come up with anything?" asked Renji.

The grave attorney calmly closed his eyes as he withstood as sudden stomach spasm. His expression never showed his pain, not a single inch of his body twitched.

"You are the last person that should ask that. It was because I trusted you that this happened."

"!!!"

Renji clenched his teeth and turned his face away.

"Hey! How could he know that this was suppose to—,"

"Leave."

"But!"

"I said leave," His eyes opened and displayed a rage that was far more intense than any verbal outrage, "Leave my office at once and never come back."

"I'm sorry," Renji bowed to Ichigo's surprise, "You're right, I don't deserve to ever be with her, to love her, watch over her for that matter—that's your place. But I could say this; if you would have been there for her when she needed you, when she called out to you—maybe things wouldn't have ended up the way they did. She would have wanted to stay at home, she would be able to talk to you without fear or doubt or hesitation…"

"Leave."

"The source of her insecurity, of her loneliness—is you."

"Renji…" Ichigo gasped in shock.

Byakuya glared at him wordlessly.

"Don't worry—I'll leave you and won't have to ever see me—don't expect anything else from me. Unlike you, I bled and let my feelings show. How else can anyone see? I love Rukia and I can shout it out to you a thousand times—even if she doesn't love me in return, I love her as my dearest friend and nothing, not even **you** can ever change that."

Renji brushed roughly pass Ichigo and stormed off.

"Hey!" Ichigo called. He looked back towards the desk and saw that Byakuya was wincing in pain. His eyes widened and he rant towards him.

"Byakuya!"

"Shut up, leave me alone," he rasped between clenched teeth.

Ichigo backed off and ran out of the office, "Yo! Somebody!"

"Bastard…" he harshly whispered. As he stood the pain was unbearable.

_The pills?_

_It's not hunger,_

_My head is spinning,_

_Damnit, hide it!_

_Why does it have to show?_

_No._

_No one._

_Never…_

Nanao rushed in, with Ichigo close behind. She found the man collapsed on the ground.

"Oh God…" she gasped.

* * *

Sosuke was in his office in the college campus reading a book after he just finished going through a pile of papers. His reading glasses casually settled at the bridge of his nose while his pupils traveled through the row of words.

The doorknob slowly turned and his gaze causally lifted. He hid a smirk expecting the man all the while.

The sliver-haired man soundlessly entered closing the door expertly behind him. He saw the college professor was re-reading an old copy of _A Dying Shadow_, one of Kira's many books. At this he couldn't help but honestly smile.

"He's a good writer, isn't he? It's so sad he quit publically—does he still write?"

"Sometimes,"

"Sit."

"Nah," he replied, "I'd rather stand."

"Fine by me," Sosuke calmly replied, "I've noticed you've been fooling around a bit," with this Sosuke pulled out the Karakura newspaper with Matsumoto's murder on the front page.

"The police are actively searching for you."

"Heh, I don mind. It's been a while since I've played hide-an-seek."

"What have you done with the money you said you needed?"

"Supplies an' things. I got the Kuchiki girl outside of town, it's only a matter a time before the heist."

"Gin, I've been thinking about a different approach."

"Ho?"

"I know Kuchiki-san personally and I could safely say that I'm in good terms with him."

"I gotta better idea, why don't you let me do it—my way?" he cooed pulling out his blade to fiddle with.

"Hm. I see you feel like I'm controlling the situation a bit, but Gin this is something that can't go wrong in any possible way."

"Sure, sure… 'course I get it. I neva failed in anything. Any job I ever did, but there's always that 0.1 chance outta the 99.9… I could screw up, sure, sure," He replied casually with that unchanging smile.

"Listen Gin, I arranged that group you have at the hideout—,"

"I didn't wanna a group, I work alo—,"

"—I even placed my personal hitman Ulquiorra to work with you—I believe I have enough say in the matter at this point. I have a lot riding on this and I'm not going to let you fuck this up."

"Ooooooh, Azie's getting real mad," Gin's fingertips tickled the sharp edge of his blade, "Whadda ya gonna do—_kill me_?"

"Relax, we're on the same side,"

"That's wha'cha think."

The blade shot out, stabbing the professor through his shoulder penetrating into the leather covering of his seat.

Sosuke winked as he tried to reach for a pistol he had in his desk drawer next to him, but no avail.

"You're a bucking' asshole, Aizen Sosuke…" he hissed.

"Heh, is that what you've always thought of me?"

"Oh, no no no," cooed Gin while he twisted the blade with sick pleasure written over his face, "That wasn't from me—a lil' message from Momo—member her?"

His eyes shot open in shock.

"Sure you do… she paid me a pretty penny, ya know."

"Arggh!"

Gin retracted Shinso, he could hear the blade hissing for more.

Sosuke stood grabbing his shoulder. The glasses slipped off his face and the pupils in his eyes constricted. A deep gurgled laugher escaped from deep within his throat, "You kill me here, and it will be a matter of time before they capture you, Gin, you value a little transaction over our partnership?"

"Well what can I say—I get _bored_ easily."

Sosuke reached for the red button on his office phone when Gin almost immediately brought down his blade severing his hand from the rest of his body.

A loud blood-curdling scream could be heard from down the corridor and Hitsugaya Toushiro heard it. People rushed away from the scream, he decided to run towards it.

His head came next and the body dropped like a heavy sack of rice. Crimson red sprayed the walls, the papers, the desk, the chair and Gin's clothes, his face and the lips which licked it off.

_Until there is no recognizable figure,_

_Until there is nothing left of him. _

_I want him beyond dead._

_I don't care._

_Go crazy._

He stabbed him again and again and again and again and again.

"Hello! Hello?"

The door behind him rattled.

"Professor?! Professor what's going on?"

Gin grabbed the headless corpse with one hand and trailed slowly towards the door.

Hitsugaya backed off as he saw the lock come undone and the knob slowly turn. The door swung open and the bloodied silver-haired man bent forward towards Hitsugaya.

"Why don'cha see for yourself?"

The corpse was lunged at him and Hitsugaya collapsed under it's weight.

The blood seeped and oozed all over him. He shuddered and used all the strength he had to push the dead weight off him. His entire body shook, he couldn't stop rattling—shaking, shaking, shaking. His vision veered in a blur, his throat ran dry as his racing heart began to ach in his chest.

The man was gone. He has stared into those eyes, eyes that made him immediately fear death. Those bloody kitsune eyes.

* * *

Byakuya awoke, alone, at the hospital. The sound of the television sucked his mind into the reality of his predicament. An iv attached to his arm and he wore hospital attire.

_"Hello, this channel 5 news reporting here in Karakura-chou. It seems that another murder struck. Similar tale-tell signs, such as decapitation, and multiple stab lead authorities to confirm that it may have been done by the same person."_

Byakuya sat up, noticing that he felt surprisingly well.

As the reporter spoke on, the door opened. Dr Ishida Uryuu walked in. He smiled seeing that he was up and well. He gaze towards the TV.

"Awful isn't it? Karakura used to be a really safe and peaceful town…." Uryuu whispered slowly shaking his head.

"My question is, how could an outsider enter into a place like a university? That to me, doesn't make any sense."

"Hmmm… you have a point there."

"Do you have any connections to the mental hospital on the other side of town?"

"Oh, you mean Rukia. Ichigo told me about it. No, I really don't, asking my father would be your best bet. Since he's the director, he has connections with other medical facilities."

"…"

"Don't worry, I'm sure she ran away somewhere to blow off some steam. She'll show up soon enough you'll see—she usually does." He walked up to him tapping through several screens on his computer tablet, "Do you take medication for sleep?"

"Yes,"

"Might want to ease up on the dosage a bit. And avoid taking anything with alcohol for a while. Otherwise, you're fine,"

"What happened?"

"Stress."

"…"

"Simple as that. For some people, the stress is manifested in the head in the form of headaches and bouts of amnesia, to others, it's the stomach. Have you ever avoided food before a nerve-wrecking event? It's the nervous system. The stress is was so great it was attacking your stomach. And the medication you're taking does a number on it as well. So relax, take deep breaths and open yourself to someone. It doesn't hurt once and a while."

"…"

"Besides that, there is nothing else for me to do, you can go home when you are ready."

"Thank you,"

"You welcome," Ishida made his way towards the door," I wish you luck on your search."

Byakuya motioned his head in a single nod in response.

* * *

"Three, four, five, six… guess I could stop here," mumbled Gin to himself as he stepped over the mutilated bodies. He trailed the alleys during the heated summer night prowling for prey. But at this point he was nearly satisfied.

A woman ran around the corner and accidently spotted him. Shinso dripping with blood. She stifled a scream and began to run. Without moving, he shot out his blade stabbing right through latching her body on to the steel, it dragged her deep within the alley as the blade retracted.

In a few swift motions, the woman laid dead. Her eyes open in frozen horror. He bent down to close them, right then, he noticed the black shirt she wore had Chappi drawn in front.

His long fingers reached for the painted cartoon figure to touch it. His stained hands tainted the pure white image with red. He smiled sadly in spite of himself. Seeing it, took away all the desire to keep killing. Standing up, he began to walk off.

"Aww… damn. Really sucks, doesn't it?"

He laughed.

"Well, well… at least ol' Azie ain't here to bug me anymore," He padded his pocket that contained the numbers needed to access his bank account.

"Can't say it wasn't a waste of time, now can I? I wonder how I'll break it to the others?"

* * *

**END CHAPTER

* * *

**

Notes: I checked this chap over kinda fast so forgive me it you stumbled over several errors... T-T

**Preview**

_As the hours passed, the head drooped a bit and towards the dawn, he fell asleep. _

_Rukia, who slept for a sprinkle at a time, crawled out of bed stealthily creeping towards the sleeping blonde._

_The notebook was nestled underneath his hands. Her habit of looking through people's stuff was still in her, and not one ounce of guilt ever passed over her because she felt that what she did was a matter of survival._

_Gin himself was sneaky—why can't she do the same?_

_She crept away and turned on the candle because there wasn't any windows in the room. Quietly she opened his notebook and skimmed through the pages…_


	12. Kira Izuru

Hello everyone, you must be thinking—what the hell is taking her so long with the updates?! She used to do them right away! I know... I know, I don't blame you, if you're starting to feel frustrated because of the delays. Lots of stuff are going on, and also I've experienced certain bloom of inspiration on some other stories and personal projects that I'm working on, and for that, I apologize. This is a realllly long chapter.... I just let my mind go and poured all my feelings into paper without thinking about condensing it... which is why Kira's poem is extremely long.... sorry bout that. I hope you like it though. I really enjoyed writing it.... (^_^)

For this chapter, I've included a extra "bonus" scene that I originally had not planned to write out, but suddenly came to me because of the reviews I had received in reaction to Matsumoto's death. I hope you like it.

-Zerolr-

* * *

Chapter 12 – Kira Izuru

* * *

It was raining, that heavy awful summer rain. Rukia sat at the porch with a simple flowered yukata, staring out at the single dirt path from which they arrived. Kira's car was still there—making her wonder what form of transportation Gin used.

The soft patter of the heavy rain, drops on the rooftops and the hum of the crickets that sang from underneath the porch floor boards was loud in spite of it being the middle of the afternoon.

She thought about it, thought about it so much, it drove her nuts.

–

There's no doubt, just futile denial...

Futile because it's obvious in my heart

And my mind denies it.

I'm in love with that man.

Knowing that he may kill me,

Knowing that he may leave my family in ruin.

–

Nii-sama, you're right.

I'm worthless.

You don't say it, but I know that's what you think whenever you look down at me.

Whenever you avoided me,

You let me go on my own,

Gave me my chance,

And I end up falling for a mad man.

Nothing more, nothing less.

–

"Oi."

Rukia snapped out of her thoughts and found Grimmjow coming , walking towards her from outside. He had a brown paper bag which he shielded the best he can. Dripping soaked and wet, he stepped up on to the porch.

Rukia's gaze was indifferent cold and empty. Grim scoffed as he sat down next to her.

"What the hell you're pissing about?"

"Are you bored?" Rukia replied dryly, "Is that why you're talking to me?"

"Tch," he opened the bag and pulled out a meat bun and began to eat it.

The patter of the rain continued heartlessly. For some reason she hated the rain. It always looked like the whole damn world was crying.

"So, Izuru gave you a break or what?"

"No, he's sleeping, so I snuck out and ended up sitting here."

"I knew the fox said he's gotta watch you but damn, we're not some fuckin blood thirsty monsters or some shit. Hidin you away from us like that."

Rukia chuckled, she was reminded of Renji somehow. She wished she could of opened herself up to him—but knowing how he is Renji would only rattle her and call her crazy.

_Crazy?_

_Surely, I have gone crazy..._

"I should kill the guy," he reached in for another bun still talking about Izuru, "Urgh! Damnit, I'm aching for a fight."

"I always hear you clash with what's-his-face," Rukia spat in monotone.

"Nnorita. I'm tired of fighting with that skinny bitch!" he viciously tore at his second bun.

She casually looked over and saw the bag was wide open on his lap. When she had the chance she reached for it. The tiny fingers wrapped around a bun, the dominate hand of Grimmjow's hand gripped tightly around her wrist.

"You wanna get fucked up?" he grip loosened. She pulled back her arm and soothed her wrist with her other hand.

"Ask first—sheesh," he threw a bun and Rukia awkwardly caught it. She smiled but his scowl immediately made her frown again.

"Here," he passed her a second one, "That's before you ask again—that's your last."

She nodded.

A moment of silence passed as they ate and watched the rain fall. Rukia nibbled on the bun savoring the sweet minced meat in the middle.

"Back then, with the police and junk, why'd you do it?" Again it was Grimmjow to break the silence.

"Why ask?"

"Cuz, I've been wanting to ask you, but I've never had the chance to talk to you like this."

"..."

"Haa... whatever," grumbled Grimm gulping down another bun.

"I don't know."

"Really?" he swallowed, "Don't believe you."

"You're right, but I'm not comfortable in telling you."

Silence.

"As long as you're more useful than being a key to a family treasure—you won't die."

"..."

"The more useful you are, the longer he keeps you."

"How long have you been working for him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you and the others part of some gang that works under him or something?"

"Phfft! The hell?! Hell no. We all got together to do this one thing, that's all. The only guy that's working for him is Izuru.

Grimmjow noticed that she shifted her legs under her and directed her attention more towards him. A bit of her usual spark was beginning to come back.

"How do you meet him?"

"Why so happy all of the sudden?"

"I'm not happy, just curious."

"We clashed, both aiming for the same thing. We had the same job contracted by two different people at the time. In the end, we worked something that benefited us in the end. It was cuz of his quick thinking. Hate to admit, but that fox is a real smart ass.

In the underground world, he's a notorious assassin. I don't really believe it—but I heard he never fails any job he takes on. I like the fight, he loves the kill. Having his prey fall dead, he doesn't care of it's hard or easy to get as long as they bleed. I stick with him sometimes because everybody knows that wherever he is that's where the money is coming from.

He sticks to whatever is good and takes allies that serve him to his advantage—few people are able to take him as a personal hit man—except one. Aizen."

"Professor Aizen?" Rukia asked, "The prestigious history professor? He's an honorable historian!"

"Honorable my ass," laughed Grim amused, "He has a huge fortune behind him and uses that to drive the black market in any direction he wants. Gin's been working for him for the longest. Aizen's the only one that can group everyone together like this.

Nnorita is a bounty hunter looking for a good fight, an idiot with only battle in the brain trying to make himself the strongest. Stark and Tia Halibel are bandits, treasure hunters that only go for rare valuables for the trill of it. Then there's Ulquiorra—no one knows _what _the hell goes through that man's head; he works for Aizen doing all kinds of odd jobs and shit."

"And what about you?"

"I dunno, I just do what whatever the fuck I want. I fight, I steal, I break in—anything that takes off the boredom."

"A cat goes wherever there's milk huh?"

"Shut up."

There was shouting and from another road came Nnorita holding bags and Halibel holding an umbrella while Stark walked casually beside her.

"Why do I have ta carry these fuckin things?!" he cried.

"Those things, Nnorita, are tonight's dinner." Halibel replied.

"Whose cookin?"

Silence.

Kira walked towards the porch rubbing his eyes.

"Kuchiki-san!" he gasped surprised to find her out especially with Grimmjow by her side.

"It's okay, he doesn't bite," she joked.

"Feh,"

"He didn't say anything to you did he?"

"Like what?" she cleverly countered.

"Uh, um, never mind," he saw the rest of the group approach the shrine house.

"Kira-san is cooking," declared Halibel calmly as she pointed in his direction.

"Again?" the blonde groaned.

"I can do it," piped Rukia.

"Absolutely not," he countered in a worried tone.

She found herself inside the room. The rain was still pounding outside. As she heard the pidder padder of the raindrops , her mind wandered again.

_The only guy that works for him is Izuru..._

Does he understand him? How? In what way? How long has he been with him?

–

I wonder....

At times...

Does he...

Fear for his life?

–

If so,

How can he cope?

If not,

Why does he feel safe?

Even now I fee,

A little scared, a little nervous.

Not only is my life at risk, but Nii-sama

He is waiting for me.

But when I come back...

–

_I like the fight, he loves the kill. Having his prey fall dead, he doesn't care if it's hard or easy to get as long as they bleed..._

_–_

But somehow, somehow...

The tears sprang form her cheeks.

I can't picture him like that... I can't see that...

She wiped them off with her sleeved hand.

No, I just could hear his voice and see his smile—taste the meals he cooked for me every day and the funny things he used to say to me. I see him as a kind, sweet and gentle person. I-I see him as someone whose always looking to find someone to stick with even if it's for a little while, to me he seems so...

An image of him flashed in her memory.

…. _lonely_

The door slid open and Kira meekly walked in with a meal served on a simple tray.

"Why don't you ever let me eat with the others?"

"To them, you are nothing but a hostage."

He settled down next to her and placed the bowl on the small table in the middle of the room.

"They are not as bad as you make them out to be," She replied coolly as she stared down at her plate with indifference.

"Are you angry at me?"

She looked up and the violet eyes met with the blue dreary ones.

"..."

A sigh. And the silence.

Kira pulled out his composition notebook and began to write again.

The silence reigned with the sound of the rain filling the room with it's symphony. She stared at her meal. It didn't look all that bad, but it didn't smell all that great.

"I'm sorry, I can see it's not to your liking."

She looked up and saw that he paused in his writing.

"That's okay, it's not you, it's my appetite, it's gone."

After a while Rukia spoke,

"I want to sleep."

Kira nodded and blew out a candle that lit the room as she settled into bed.

Hours passed into the night and Rukia tossed quietly about. And in the darkness, he mind was filled with thoughts of him. She remembered how he often snuck into her room to spy on her in her sleep. She would pretend to sleep at those times, but he would always know if she was awake or not.

_'Good night, Rukia-chan'_

"Good night, Gin," she whispered softly to herself.

Kira was awake sitting up on his futon, perfect still in the unnerving darkness. She tossed and then peeked and saw the silhouette of the young man, upright.

As the hours passed the head drooped a bit and towards the dawn, he fell asleep.

Rukia who slept for sprinkle at a time, crawled out of bed stealthy creeping towards the sleeping blonde.

The notebook was nestled underneath his hands. Her habit of looking through people's stuff was still in her and not one ounce of guilt ever passed over her because she knew that what she did was a matter of survival.

Gin himself was sneaky—why can't she do the same?

She crept away and turned on the candle because there wasn't any windows in the room. Quietly she opened his notebook and skimmed the pages.

_No-no, I write poems. At least I try to..._

They're poems... all writing in prose. Most of them don't rhyme and they don't go by any form of poetry...

She continued to skim through it. She found one titled, "Cutting the Strings" and others as she was beginning to be drawing to his writing... but in the end she sighed in defeat.

They really are just poems... but none that can help me... wait... what's this?

* * *

_**Smile of the Kitsune Demon**_

_**

* * *

****Tears of Blood,**_

_**Bitter, dry, disdainful--**_

_**have fallen down my Cheeks.**_

_**–**_

_**A pain so forceful brought it's way up**_

_**my throat,**_

_**Destroying my heart**_

_**my feelings--**_

_**All spark of hope.**_

_**–**_

_**The white sheep among a flock of black.**_

_**No.**_

_**I'd say, that I'm the worst of all.**_

_**–**_

_**There was nothing else I found,**_

_**That could have kept me on this earth...**_

_**–**_

_**I hung a noose in my room, I made with ties.**_

_**Alone in my room, in the dusk of twilight,**_

_**All was silent,**_

_**Lady Solitude, was here stabbing me,**_

_**Urging me,**_

_**Accompanying me always.**_

_**–**_

_**Down from the ceiling fan,**_

_**I pushed my bed away,**_

_**and I stood on my chair,**_

_**As I placed the noose around my neck.**_

_**–**_

_**The door—**_

_**it**_

_**opened.**_

_**–**_

_**A Kitsune Demon stood in it's empty place**_

_**–**_

_**With a,**_

_**s**_**mile**

_**on his,**_

**face.**

**–**

**"**_**Wha cha doin?"**_

_**"Don't come near!"**_

_**"Hmm?"**_

_**–**_

_**"Because I swear—I can't take it anymore. This world, all these people—my hands! Get away! I have nothing to do with my family anymore. I have nothing to do with anything!**_

_**Leave me!"**_

_**–**_

_**I was birthed into a family of convicts and criminals. My mother, my father, my cousins aunts and uncles were all too well involved in that dangerous world.**_

_**–**_

_**And I always,**_

_**apologized,**_

_**for their actions.**_

_**–**_

_**My eyes always,**_

_**met,**_

_**The cold Earth.**_

_**–**_

_**I'm sorry,**_

_**Forgive them,**_

_**I apologize **_

_**–**_

_**The gentle one,**_

_**with the good grades,**_

_**with a promised future,**_

_**I was not to share,**_

_**their**_

_**fate.**_

_**–**_

_**But **_

_**"The Apple doesn't' fall to Far from the Tree,"**_

_**And this I feared.**_

_**And this my mind poured out in worry.**_

_**I started to feel guilty for their actions.**_

_**Feeling that I was just as bad as they were...**_

_**That I was just as evil.**_

_**–**_

_**With the police knocking on my door,**_

_**Constantly asking for members of my family,**_

_**Covering for them,**_

_**Living in lies after lies after lies,**_

_**I forgot what it is to,**_

_**smile.**_

_**–**_

_**The mind spilled out in my studies,**_

_**in my books,**_

_**books,**_

_**of**_

_**morbid fascination.**_

_**–**_

_**of Death**_

_**of Killers,**_

_**of the Act in between.**_

_**–**_

_**of Insanity and Sanity,**_

_**of the Changes in between.**_

_**–**_

_**Fascination so great.**_

_**And this I feared,**_

_**And this my mind poured out in worry.**_

_**–**_

_**Yes indeed,**_

_**I'd say,**_

_**That I'm the worst of all.**_

_**–**_

_**"Yur not scared at all?"**_

_**My hands shook in their places,**_

_**As the Kitsune,**_

_**pushed up the bed next to the chair,**_

_**climbing up,**_

_**To my level.**_

_**"Yur not scared to die?"**_

_**–**_

_**Don't change my mind. Please.**_

_**Please.**_

_**I felt the tears fall down my face.**_

_**I felt pathetic.**_

_**It was**_

_**pathetic.**_

_**–**_

_**"Well, let me help you..."**_

_**–**_

_**He grabbed the noose,**_

_**Held on the knot,**_

_**tightened the hold on,**_

_**my neck.**_

_**–**_

_**"Sa, sa—how does that feel?**_

_**Really want to die?"**_

_**–**_

_**A blade was placed at my stomach.**_

_**–**_

_**"Should I kick the chair too?"**_

_**–**_

_**He said this with a**_

_**smile.**_

_**And I was scared,**_

_**Scared for my life.**_

_**Did I want to live?**_

_**To live?**_

_**I felt it begin to stab me.**_

_**–**_

_**He kicked the chair**_

_**–**_

_**And my body,**_

_**Dangled in the air.**_

_**–**_

**no,**

**No...**

**NO!!!**

_**–**_

_**I fell to the ground the tie rope cut by his blade.**_

_**My hands went to my small wound and**_

_**felt the warm blood trickle between my fingers...**_

_**–**_

_**"Not so fun, is it?**_

_**Think being dead's gonna help?**_

_**Think being dead's gonna feel any better?**_

_**Any easier?**_

_**Any shorter?**_

_**Any faster?**_

_**Who said it's all that easy?**_

_**I'd like ta know who said that so I can slit his throat...**_

_**Seeing this takes all the thrill outta killing..."**_

_**–**_

_**There was silence pulling down on me**_

_**Forcing my gaze to stare at the ground...**_

_**–**_

_**"Kira Izuru,**_

_**If you can't live for yourself, you'll live for my sake.**_

_**I need you."**_

_**My eyes lifted and I saw **_

_**Demon Eyes**_

_**for the first time in my life.**_

_**–**_

_**Confusing unexplainable**_

_**but my torture only **_

_**continued as the Kitsune**_

_**tangled me into the world**_

_** I longed to avoid.**_

_**I was used for sure—because of my family name. Because of my family business with the trafficking of illegal weapons.**_

_**–**_

_**But **_

_**yes**_

_**A but,**_

_**an Exception**_

_**an excuse**_

_**in spite**_

_**putting all aside**_

_**There was something more**_

_**to live for someone else**_

_**to Protect someone**_

_**gave me purpose**_

_**Being taught to watch only for myself**_

_**to be alone; this was a**_

_**breath**_

_**of fresh air**_

_**–**_

_**There was the **_

_**smile**_

_**that **_

_**smiled**_

_**for the person who forgot**_

_**how to **_

_**smile**_

_**–**_

_**"If you can't live for yourself, you'll live for my sake."**_

_**–**_

_**I lived for his sake.**_

_**–**_

_**Being chased **_

_**At a time I remembered**_

_**I had the chance to escape,**_

_**to leave him,**_

_**to go on my own,**_

_**–**_

_**"This way! Ichimaru-san!"**_

_**I couldn't ever bring my self,**_

_**to betray him.**_

_**–**_

_**There was a time I was caught by the police.**_

_**Under the light, I was interrogated.**_

_**Asked questions after questions**_

_**And I asked myself myself**_

_**While they asked Me,**_

_**–**_

_**Why am I doing this?**_

_**Why am I helping him?**_

_**Why?**_

_**–**_

_**A puppet can't live without the pullin of the strings...**_

_**We can't live, we can't breathe...**_

_**–**_

_**You'll live for my sake.**_

_**–**_

_**The place that held me prisoner was bombed and through the smoke, he was there. It was then I knew,**_

_**why.**_

_**–**_

_**My usefulness was wearing thin,**_

_**but I saw the more worthless I became,**_

_**the closer I found myself to him.**_

_**Even after,**_

_**Long after,**_

_**he found what he searched **_

_**through me,**_

_**Wabisuke.**_

_**The cursed blade hidden by my family's ancestors.**_

_**–**_

_**"Here, keep it."**_

_**"Don't you want this?"**_

_**"I got my own."**_

_**"But after all that?"**_

_**"It was fun, wasn't it?"**_

_**–**_

_**Looking down at my new found treasure,**_

_**I frowned.**_

_**–**_

_**"Good face, Kira."**_

_**Looking up I caught his smile.**_

_**"Yur the sadness, I don ever show,**_

_**the frown that's never on my face..."**_

_**–**_

_**Those words, I knew what they meant.**_

_**–**_

**You are my partner, my only friend connected to me,**

**That sees through me...**

**–**

_**And this he said, with a**_

_**Smile.**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

Rukia slowly closed the notebook, looking back, she saw Kira was slightly snoozing, still in deep sleep.

"We have much more in common then I'd ever dreamed of having... Then it's not a lie... Gin's kindness. It's real. It exists. But it's hidden so well behind an impenetrable mask... But Kira-san has been through hell. It's nothing compared to my life. Compared to me, I had it easy..."

He's always sleeping into the mornings, she thought. Does he have trouble sleeping though the nights? Probably.

She carefully lifted his hands and placed the notebook back in the same way she found it. Rukia crept back into bed and slept for a couple of hours. She felt purring, something warm and furry rub on her face.

"Mew."

Clear light-blue eyes met hers as she awoke.

"Get the fuck outta bed, ya lazy bastard!"

Rukia shot up, but she right away found out that the voice wasn't directed towards her. Kira nervously tumbled out of bed.

"Make something to eat—and make it snappy—damn." Grimmjow stormed off and the white cat quickly followed suit.

"You let them treat you like that?" Rukia asked.

"I-it's alright, I'm fine. Grimmjow rarely treats anybody with respect," he replied.

"Let me help you with the food."

"No, I'd rather—,"

"Please."

"..."

Her eyes never left his nervous shifting gaze.

"Fine, I guess. They never like what I make anyway..." replied rubbing the back of his head.

"Well let's get to work!" she chirped, raising her arm energetically.

His eyes wavered in response to her sudden optimism and a shadow of a smile swept his face for only a tine moment.

He said...

That there was something different about me...

Does Gin...

Feel the same way?

If they share the same feelings...

If they work in the same spirit...

Gin must feel the same way...

Right?

The plates were placed in front of them along with the white tea to accompany the meal.

"Egg rolls... in the morning... for breakfast?" Questioned Ulquiorra as he stared down blankly into his plate.

"There wasn't much we can work with," pouted Rukia.

"Ah well, whadda ya know? The bitch could cook," Nnorita scoffed after he took a bite, "But you shoulda made more," he growled, "Ya think one's enough?"

Rukia fumed but Kira calmed her down.

"Thank you for the meal Kuchiki-san," Stark replied softly, "You didn't have to go so far to do this,"

Rukia smiled.

"Are you going to eat with us?" asked Halibel.

Rukia looked at Kira, he gave in with small nod, so she settled next to Grimmjow, the only person she had contact with personally.

Kira sat on her other side and everyone ate in silence. Kira had retrieved a plate with plenty of extras that he placed in the middle of the table.

Rukia's eyes shifted from person to person. Not direct eye contact, but rather, on shy and hidden glances as not to provoke any arguments.

"Yo fight me," Nnorita began breaking the silence.

"No, I'm tired of kicking your ass all the time."

"Say what?"

"You heard what I said, asshole."

"You fuckin little—,"

"Nnorita, not at the table," corrected Halibel.

"Shut up. I don't take orders from you bitch."

"Whatever..."

Stark just sighed. Ulquiorra remained silent, indifferent to what was going on around him.

"You know what? Fine. Let's go at it. This'll prove what I'm talking about."

"Good, cuz I don't why the hell you're talking so big, everybody here knows that I'm stronger than you, dumbass."

Stark reached for another egg roll while Kira calmly sipped his tea.

Although their conversation was innocent the atmosphere they each carried was heavy and somewhat sinister, creepy the least. From Nnorita's strange appearance, to Grimmjow's violent presence to Ulquiorra's ghostly serenity.

She thought about her brother. The home that was waiting for her. She suddenly longed to be there.

What if Gin wouldn't come back in all of these days? What if he chose to arrive weeks—even months later? In a remote place far from the city where I don't know anybody. No one.

Why did he leave without saying good bye to me? Why did he leave with out even showing his face?

He, truly is what they say?  
When I see him again, it may not be the same way as I had met him.

_"he's a notorious assassin."_

"Kuchiki-san?"

Kira moved his hand, landing gently over her trembling ones.

Trembling.

Since when did I start to shake?

The table became silent.

"Hooo?" Nnorita grinned.

Ulquiorra's emerald eyes met hers.

"Nnorita you're scaring her," commented Halibel.

She suddenly stood up and dashed off.

"Kuchiki-san!" Kira shouted.

"See, I told you..."

"Fuck off."

"No you don't!" growled Grim grabbing her wrist. She kicked his jaw biting his own tongue.

"Phuck!" he sputtered releasing his grip as blood dribbled from his mouth.

Nnorita nearly fell back in laughter.

"Pathetic," muttered Ulquiorra shaking his head.

She stumbled a bit and continued to run.

–

Get out of here. I must get of here somehow...

–

She ran barefooted out the door and Kira dashed off after her. His heart in his hands. The others remained at the table, indifferent to the situation. After all Rukia was Kira's responsibility. She ignored the pain the rocks gave to her tine bare feet. Running as the sun filtered through the forest trees, dappling the ground in various shades of light.

Th birds chirped filling the with their music. The insects hummed. The air was damp heavy with humidity from last night's rain.

Her breathing was heavy. She could hear Kira's voice suddenly die down.

I'm losing him... she thought without looking back. There was a small hill the forest path had and running down she saw in the near distance, a man.

Tall pale skin, eyes curved in the form of a playful demon fox, silver hair glinting in the sunlight. Holding a two bags in one hand and his blade hoisted at his waist on the other side.

She suffocated drowning within that lukewarm feeling. The feeling of poison, of honeyed venom.

His head slowly lifted spotting a young woman in an all blue yukata. Small in stature and size, her eyes large and full wavering in brilliant violet color.

That royal violet-blue, that color suddenly captivated him. He approached her, his smiling face unreadable.

Those tiny hands and feet, everything about her was small delicate, fragile, a butterfly, a pixie, a fairy, something not of this earth.

Yes different.

There was something different about her. And his mind was clear now that he could see this difference with his own eyes, feel it with his own heart.

But he couldn't put it into words.

Kira watched from the distance where he stood, Rukia frozen in her place as Gin reached up to where she stood. He dropped the bags he held, and it fell the ground. Her eyes never leaving his face as his arms when around her...

His fingertips touched the back of her spine causing it to arch upwards, her lips barely parting. Quite forbidding, the thoughts he had of her. Possible enough that things could sadly turned out the same way as they did before when he let himself get dragged by his feelings. At this time, his mind was clouded at the thought of what her fate may be in his hands. Things weren't so clear anymore.

Bent forward, lips brushing her forehead in a gentle kiss. Rukia's hands clenched his shirt, tight tense. Her lungs took in all the air it could possibly take and he air was slowly very slowly being brought out. It was so hard to breathe normally around him.

She felt his fingertips dance at her spine trickling up and down in play. His lips trailed as she felt his cold cheek brush against hers lightly as his lips reached her ear.

"Ya must have been so scared, Rukia-chan,"

"What took you so long?! Idiot," she gasped barely in harsh whisper, "Why didn't you come back right away? I waited for you! I waited!"

She caught the scent of his body of his sweat, feel the strands of the soft silvery mane tickle her cheeks. Her heart was beating at an uncontrollable rate.

"There, there, Rukia-chan."

She felt the arms suddenly scoop her up into his arms. Rukia sunk her face into her chest nestling deep within the folds of his clothes. She felt her small body pressed against him, as he held her close secure, as if cradling a babe.

"You'll be by my side as long as ya like, Hun."

She nodded into his chest like a crying child after being consoled by a loving parent.

"Don't you worry no more," he cooed.

Kira stood there still. What he saw surprised him. There was something different, way different. From the way he spoke to her—he meant it. He really did. And that time when he drove to the shrine house, Gin smiled at him and it was genuine. Happy to have her rest at his lap—to have her safe at his side. It was something he had to watch a little more before coming to this conclusion.

"Kira,"

"Yes," he piped as he jogged down to meet him.

"Go an' pick up my things."

He nodded slightly and went to pick up the bag. He opened it and found ingredients for food and in the other, a small Chappi plushie.

In shock he lifted his head and saw Gin walking up the small dirt trail.

"Did that mean 'o Kitty scare you?"

"Mmm, no, he shared a meat bun with me,"

"Did you like it?"

"Yes,"

"You want me to make some for you?"

The voices died down as he walked further away. Kira was frozen in his place.

"He's … really not pretending."

* * *

**END CHAPTER**

**

* * *

  
**

Your feed back really affects my writing, and this is a perfect example, Here is something I wrote spur of the moment to reconcile with the death scene of Matsumoto Rangiku...

* * *

Extra Scene – The Red Poppy

* * *

How did they do it? It's almost as if she would wake up at any minute. As if she would open her eyes and comment how sexy she looks sleeping in a flowered coffin...

Kiyone Kotetsu covered her mouth muffling the whines escaping from her throat. She stood before the open casket, tears welling in her eyes threatening to fall over.

It's as if, as if, this had never happened. As if it never...

The tears did fall. Rolling down the once bubbly cheeks. Her sister, Isane, walked up to her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Be strong, Kiyo-chan," she said sweetly fighting the lump in her throat, "Matsumoto-san wouldn't want to see you... cry..."

Kiyone felt the tear drops fall onto her forehead and looking up she saw a gentle stream of tears slipping down her sister's cheeks.

"Onee-chan," she whispered burning her face in her bosom.

The authorities found the head, just within hours of the murder, tracing evidence that seemed to be laid out on purpose. Perfectly persevered wrapped carefully in a blood stained silk cloth.

Nanao stood her back not wanting to go to the front. Every now and then, she wiped the corners of her eyes. Blinking rapidly she still managed to hold on to her composure. The door opened behind her and Hitsugaya entered with his girlfriend, Hinamori.

Just in that one second that her eyes had met that icy turquoise, her spine, her body involuntarily shuddered as the young man briskly walked past. Momo rushed to keep up with him.

That look just now, she thought. No trace of sadness, no grief, regrets, or remorse... All I saw, all I could see is rage... hatred.

He stormed towards the front, not even acknowledging the people he bumped into, those he passed, those who called his name. He briskly stormed to the front and stopped at the sight of her exposed figure.

An elegant golden dress etched out her body, a slit cut high at her thigh. Ruby red lipstick colored her lips. Her hair, oh how beautiful it was! The layered tresses fell all about in such wonderful volume a style that everyone knew it was her own. She wore a choker necklace that cleverly covered the tiny stitches done to place it there. Her eyes forever closed, forever hiding the brilliant bluish color.

And all within the coffin, surrounded completely she was by flowers. Bright yellow daffodils, laced with pink carnations and roses. Dark, dark crimson roses. A single tiger lily was woven in the lock of hair, resting near the peaceful visage.

Just as fast as he had pace towards her, just as face, the steam blew over. The ridge icy expression softened. Hinamori behind him, shyly poked her head over from the side.

"I promise," he whispered, "Right here, standing before you here... I will find whoever took your life. I swear it..."

Hinamori's heart dropped so far she felt it fall to the center of the earth.

What if....?

She closed her eyes and cupped her ears.

What if!

An image of Gin's face surfaced in her mind.

"I SWEAR!"

People looked towards the white haired youth in shock.

Momo who stood behind him, saw that his shoulders here shaking slightly. Her eyes watered. She reached out her tiny hand to rest it on his shoulder. As she did, the pale fingers were suddenly stained in blood. She pulled it back and stared at both of them. Those hands, her hands were stained with blood. Are stained with blood.

I-I-I'm a murderer. I-I killed the professor. Who am I to console him?! Hitsu was covered in blood because of me! And how he has to see this! She-she might have been killed by the same man! I-I helped him! Oh God, I helped him!

Hitsugaya turned and pushed her aside and raced out, tears stinging his eyes. Unohana Retsu, who stood nearby smiled sadly.

"He doesn't like to show his tears to others..." she cooed in a tender whisper. Ukitake nodded softly in agreement.

He raced as the exit door opened once more and the young man bumped into a tall unshaven man with thick wavy hair tied to a ponytail.

"I'm sure you don't mean to leave right now, do you?"

Kyoraku Shunsui stood before him in a tie-less jacket dark blue in color. In his hands he carried a single flower, a red poppy. The young man eyes frantically spilled the tears it held so fiercely. He hissed harshly raising a hand to cover his face, "Get out of my way."

Shunsui stepped aside and the youth left.

Arriving to the open casket Shunsui smiled at what he saw. Ukitake walked up to him.

"I'd thought you wouldn't come."

"I dislike a woman's funeral, it always tears away at me... but something just pulled me here." Looking at the arrangement in the casket he asked, "Who was—,"

"Renji."

The man looked over to his weary friend. He looked more weakened then he usually did. His sunken eyes were darkened slightly and his lips seemed to be exhausted from constantly forcing fake smiles.

"Everyone pitched in with the money, but Renji was the one who ordered everything—the dress, the casket, the place... and..." He paused smiling for real this time, "The flowers," Ukitake began once more.

"Yes, they're perfect." Shunsui finished, "Crimson red roses are the color of mourning, pink carnations, '_I will never forget you_', the daffodils, '_You're the only one_' a flower of egotism, of vanity, and the tiger lily meaning pride, honor," he closed his eyes and walked up to the casket, closer still.

"And here is my gift," he placed the red poppy flower where her folded hand rested.

Ukitake watched and gazed at the single scarlet flower.

The Poppy.

A red one no less. Red is the flower's color of pleasure, the poppy itself is the flower of eternal sleep, oblivion, the imagination.

"Matsumoto," he whispered

_Rest in peace

* * *

_

**END CHAPTER**

* * *

FYI – the daffodil is the flower that reps the 10th squad of Gotei 13.

Notes: The next chap is my personal favorite, and is going to be longer than this one. Why so long? Because I don't want to chop up the chapters any more. This fic will end in chapter 22, with a possible epilogue. So be prepared. Hopefully, I won't make you wait so long for chapter 13, but for now a preview will have to do...

* * *

**Preview

* * *

**

_"Oh thank you!" She squealed practically snatching the toy. Her arms embraced it tightly her cheek rubbing on the bunny's face, "She's so cute, oh god, I love it!"_

_Gin softly smiled as he looked at her. Watching her he realized how much he wanted to keep her smiling. How beautiful that smile was, that smile and the lips that formed it._

_After a moment of spazzing, she looked at him and saw how peaceful he looked. Locks of silver that fell over in bangs over the clever well hidden eyes. He was beautiful. Sickeningly beautiful._

_Was he even human?_

_No, maybe he truly was what he looked like—a yokai fox in human guise._

_She flew into his arms, surprising him slightly. He slowly wrapped his arms her in response._

_"Thank you, thank you so much," her arms around his neck as she looked over his shoulder avoiding his stare, hiding her blushing face, "I love it... I love... love you," He felt the tiny fingers dig into the shirt it wrapped around so tightly._


	13. In Love With The Impossible

I'd like to give a special thanks to my dear friend Wolfy-chan aka "thedrunkenwerewolf" who is another writer here in FFnet. She took her time to beta this chapter. She gave me some tips on writing out Gin's dialogue. Please check out her works, especially if you're a fan of Gin and Aizen. Of my favorites among her work is: "The Heir of Las Noches".

Shizha, I thank you for writing such a wonderful review. It cheered me up tremendously, you have no idea… I want to apologize to you and all my readers for the long delay. A lot has happened since the last update. Okay, so here you go… I hand you chapter 13 in a silver platter…

Please enjoy and read at your leisure... ^_^

-Zerolr-

* * *

Chapter 13 – In Love with the Impossible

* * *

Stark yawned, "I'm going to bed," he announced stretching. Gin walked in with Rukia in his arms causing attention to be directed towards him.

"W-wha? She just ran out and then…" Nnorita began feeling puzzled, "Aw fuck it!" he stood, "So now you're back, when are we going to do it?"

Gin swung around and with his back to the kitchen facing the long table, "We'll talk later," he hummed before entering.

"I have a funny feeling," Halibel whispered, "That something had happened."

"Well it better not be for the worst…" Ulquiorra replied dryly.

Once inside the kitchen, he placed her on the ground.

"Did ya eat?"

"A little—oh! I made egg rolls! You must try it. You never tasted my cooking." She looked about and found that they have eaten all of the said egg rolls. She thought about walking out and seeing if there was something on the table, but she hesitated not wanting them to stare.

"Alrigh', how bout ya make me somethin' from scratch then?"

Kira walked in. Exhausted, he dropped the bags next to Gin. He turned and walked off.

"Umm… okay," she pulled the sleeves of her yukata with an apron and her hands reached for the bag. Gin's long fingers wrapped around her wrist.

"Nah, that's fer lunch." He cooed. She was aware of how close he stood, of how tall he was, and how cold his hand felt. He knelt down pulling the second bag, "I got'cha somethin'."

"Really?"

"Mmm," he replied with a nod. Deep within the bag he pulled out the Chappi plush. Pure white and soft to touch.

"Oh thank you!" She squealed practically snatching the toy. Her arms embraced it tightly, her cheek rubbing on the bunny's face, "She's so cute, oh God, I love it!"

Gin softly smiled as he looked over her. Watching her he realized how much he wanted to keep her smiling. How beautiful that smile was, that smile and the lips that formed it.

After a moment of spazzing, she looked at him. And saw how peaceful he looked. Locks of silver that fell over in bangs over the clever well-hidden eyes. He was beautiful. Sickeningly beautiful.

Was he even human?

No, maybe he truly was what he looked like—a yokai fox in human guise.

She flew into his arms, surprising him slightly. He slowly wrapped his arms around her in response.

"Thank you, thank you so much," Her arms went around his neck as she looked over his shoulder avoiding his stare, "I love it… I love… love you," he felt the tiny fingers dig into the shirt it wrapped around so tightly.

It was a strange silence and her heart hung on a string dangling in mid-air. Silence. She felt the strong arms hold her tighter, slightly tighter still. His left hand glided over entering into the silken locks of raven black hair, nuzzling his head gently with hers.

She felt relief wash over her. He isn't upset or mad but… what's going through his head? What is he thinking?

"Stay with me, Rukia-chan…" he whispered as if forbidden, "That's all I can say, cuz I don' think I could tell ya anythin' beyond that…"

What does he mean by that?

"What makes you think I want to leave you?" she replied, "I don't want you to leave me, or to fool me… please."

The embrace tightened around her, one last time before the arms slipped off. The signals were so mixed so unclear. As he stood, she stared into his face. He wore the usual smile. He reached out his hand and she extended hers to clutch it. She was pulled to her feet and she returned his smile with her own.

"Okay!" she whirled around trying to sound like her usual self, but it was hard. Even the voice that came out of her throat sounded foreign to her ears.

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked in attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

"Ah, no. I want to do it by myself. You can watch me if you like." She started towards the counter and started to look about again.

"Ya might wanna wash these," he pointed out to the dirty pots.

"Oh, yeah," she walked towards the sink but he reached there first.

"Lemme," he whispered. He patted her softly and she felt the cold hand ruffle through her hair and descend slowly down the temple, finally cupping her face for a moment contemplating, "Yer so cute, Rukia-chan… can't believe you'd fall in love with someone like me…" the hand slipped away and the tone of voice mingled with remorse.

Guilt? She thought. No, just don't think anymore. You'll just drive yourself crazy.

Third minutes later, she made sweet beans to top on white rice. A side dish that consisted of salmon that Halibel and Stark bought yesterday, seasoned and cooked to absorb the flavor. She washed her hands as she saw Gin pick up the bowl and take in the rich smell of the fish. Taking up the chopsticks he playfully poked at it.

"Don't look like he's gonna wake up," he joked.

"Of course not!" she huffed.

He chuckled, "Are ya gonna care for me if I get sick?"

"The food is fine! You saw me cook it." She cried, she couldn't help but smile in spite of herself… it was kind of like old times back at her apartment, "Just try it," she said with a laugh.

"Can't do it when yer starin' a me like that."

"Will you eat it if I look away?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"Only if ya try it," he scooped a small batch of rice with the sticks, "Pretty please?"

She muffled a laugh, "Fine seriously—You're always acting like this." She walked up and opened her mouth as he fed her.

"Is it good? He asked with a hint of play in his voice.

"Try it yourself," she countered.

"Did ya swallow it yet?"

Her face when up a couple notches of red.

No way! Is that why he?!

She felt his fingers rest under her chin as he pulled her closer.

"Cuz, I wonderin' how it'd taste on yer tongue," He purred in that low drawl.

She slowly closed her eyes as he leaned towards her. Inches away from her lips, the door opened and Kira walked in. Gin didn't pay him any heed, but Rukia pushed him away embarrassed and flushed redder than before.

"Oh! I-I'm so so—,"

"Yer not sorry," Gin spat venomously.

"What happened, Kira-san?" Rukia asked looking like a startled bird.

"No, it's just I need to—but I saw that both of you were—well—,"

The white cat, Courora, had slipped in when Kira opened the door attracted by the scent of fish. However, she made her way to the Chappi and biting it by one of its long ears, the cat ran off with it.

"Hey come back here!" Rukia cried viciously, "That's not food—come back!" she dashed out the door in hot pursuit.

"Why are you so upset?" Kira began.

Ichimaru turned and began to eat his meal.

"Is it because you missed your chance to mess with her… or because you really want it? **Needed** it?"

"Kira, I got chopsticks in my hand," he clicked them rather tactfully, "Chopsticks…"

Kira swallowed, he knew that Gin didn't like to be pushed in a corner with questions. Gin hated questioning. It was what he despised the most. To be poked at. But regardless, that didn't stop Kira from asking.

"You…_**love**_ her right?"

"And what? You'll think it'll change our plans?"

"So you admit it?"

"What I want, what I need…two different things, Kira." He paused to eat, pouring himself a cup of water as well.

"Which one is it?"

"What I need, that must be above everything. Without need, ya die. Need to live. Need to need. Without it, nuthin."

"Need her?"

"I want," he smiled sadly, "I want so bad…"

"Then kill me."

Gin carefully stared at him. He usually never talked back like this. Did Rukia and Kira plan something? Become buddies or something? But then again, Kira was an empathizer; he has a strange habit of transferring his entire soul and existence into people he rarely even knew. And he was pretty damn good at it, too.

"You don't need me," he said flatly, "You want me. You needed me before, but not anymore."

"Listen, Kira—,"

"You can't live with need. No one can. We're humans… we're not machines. We have a heart, we feel. All humans feel, even the ones that kill for a living. Even the ones that are so called _heartless_. To have a _want_ is a _need_, Ichimaru."

"…"

"Honestly tell me, what you're planning to do with her after all this is over… after what she said to you."

"Ease-dropping."

"Yes."

"That's why I said tha' ya aint sorry."

"I've watched many horrible things, witnessed a lot of gruesome things, but I can't watch you play with someone's feelings. The feelings of a person in love. I won't let you kiss her, fool her. It hurts too much to watch. To keep quiet."

Gin carefully placed the empty bowl on the table allowing the room to be filled with silence.

"I don't know…"

"?"

Gin turned and faced the kitchen counter his back facing Kira, "I don' wanna make tha' same mistake…" His mind flashed with the image of Matsumoto's death, "She could be lyin' ta me…. It could be a lie."

Kira's gaze met the wooden floor, "I have a feeling that she's different."

"What would you do?"

"Eh? Um... I'd return her feelings with mine. I'd be honest with her. Tell her everything."

"The truth?"

"... yes."

"I told Matsumoto the truth."

"What happened?"

"I killed her."

"..."

"Sayin 'I love you' ain't enough. It ain't enough to make her forget who I am, what I do. I can't keep her promise. But—,"

A tear rolled down down from one eye. His voice never wavered. It never changed. There were no signs of a breakdown. None at all. Seemingly out of no where, a tear rolled down one eye.

"—I want ta. I want ta. I kinda wish... that my heart would stop fillin' my 'ead wit' all a these..." The silent stream trickled down his cheeks, "Stupid dreams..."

"So, you love her?"

"YES! I love her! Are ya happy now? Get out now before I do somthin' I'll regret..."

"I'm sorry..." Kira turned and walked out.

Gin reached in the drawer for a knife, "Yer not sorry," he hissed. The door closed; the thrown knife stabbed at the door frame.

* * *

"Here kitty-kitty..." cooed Rukia as she walked down the long hall, "Kitty... where are you?" After pacing a bit she gave up and crossed her arms, "Dammit! At this rate it'll be all torn up... If she ruins it I'll tear that stupid cat limb-from-limb."

"Oooh, allow me."

Rukia looked back startled to hear a voice. Nnorita stood looking like a skyscraper in comparison to the petite woman.

"H-have you seen it?" she asked not sure if she'll receive an insult as a response.

"Grim is at the courtyard, your chances at finding that thing is impossible... you have to ask the dumbass."

"Thank you," Rukia replied politely before running off.

"You wanted to ask her, didn't you?" Stark stretched as he walked up to him.

"Yeah, what do you think?"

"I wouldn't go as far to say that she sleeps around, but maybe only as his lover... but even so, I doubt that the little lady is _that_ type of person. Truth to say, that she's receiving far better treatment than any hostage that I've ever seen..."

"Che, she seems too close to just be some hostage. I don't trust her. It's chicks like that, make me wanna cut'em in half."

"Cut them in half..." Stark sighed as Nnorita walked away, "How troublesome..."

Rukia entered the shrine courtyard. It was a located at the center of the building surrounded by four inner walls. There was a single oak tree in the center. Grimmjow leaned against it, his arms crossed and the cat at his feet. The plush was there, free from tear, but covered in dirt from all the dragging it went through.

"You!" she shouted with so much emphasis.

"About time you came," he spat in return.

"Give me back my—,"

He grabbed her by the collar lifting her feet off the ground.

"Listen you. You fuckin kicked me in the jaw, you think that's funny?!"

Her hands grasped the wrist of the hand that held her trying hard not to complain.

"I can fuck you up so bad, you won't be able to tell your hands and feet apart!"

He threw her sending her face first on the grassy earth.

"Get up!" he roared.

"So... you get a kick out of pushing girls around, eh?" A dark smirk curled at the edge of her lips as she raised her head. A swift kick to her stomach sent her rolling. She gagged as she turned over towards the side clutching her stomach as she gasped for air.

"You're only talking big cuz that stupid fox came back!" He placed his foot on her shoulder to roll her over in his direction, "Well, he ain't gonna save ya, babe."

"I ... don't need saving," she gasped as the air was returning.

He threw back his head and laughed. A sick grin spread across his face. Leaning down to her face, he scoffed, "You can't even fend for yourself, bitch."

"Give me a blade, and I'll tell you another story."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It's a duel."

"AHAHAHA HA HA HA!!!!!"

"I mean it,"

"Heh! I'll make you eat those words."

"Grimmjow."

The cerulean eyes snapped back at the entrance, spotting Halibel with her arms crossed.

"A meeting, let's go."

"There's some spare blades at the largest room here. Wait for me there. If I don't see ya—I'ma hunt your ass down, you hear me?!"

Rukia stared at him. Her violet eyes steady. Inside she quietly steamed.

"Grimmjow."

"I'm comin' sheesh!"

He approached her and together they walked out. Halibel gazed at him out of a corner of her eye.

"What?" he growled.

"You could get into a lot of trouble because of what you did."

"You ratting on me?"

"I don't stoop down to that level. Besides, it's none of my business."

"Feh."

"But I'll tell you one thing."

Grimmjow scoffed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Don't underestimate a woman's potential."

"You just say that cuz you're a girl..."

* * *

Gin Ichimaru stood in a room with a small table at the center. Chairs were placed all around, the lighting was a simple gas lantern. Kira stood against the wall, silent keeping much to himself. Ulquiorra was also present sitting in one of the chairs. He wore a dark green kosode, the sable hair damp coming fresh out of the hot spring found in the back of the shrine house.

"You still haven't answered my question," the stoic man began once more, "Have you had contact with Aizen?" The large emerald eyes stared coldly in Gin's direction.

"Wait till everyone's here kay? I ain't gonna repeat myself," was the reply.

Nnorita waltzed in, ignoring the chairs he chose to stand, "I'm dyin to get this shit over with! All this waiting is pissing me off."

Stark walked in silently and sat down, "I hope what you're about to say doesn't contain any bad news," he began.

"Well, tha' depends on how ya take it."

"I don't like the sound of that," Stark mumbled.

"..." Ulquiorra closed his eyes.

Gin leaned against the wall fiddling with a pencil. His eyes, fingers focused on such a minuscule, insignificant object.

Grimmjow and Halibel walked in last. She sat next to Stark who had a frown squiggled across his face. Grim snatched a chair and whirled it around, sitting with his legs apart and his arms resting on the back rest of the chair.

A small moment of silence filled the room.

"Okay," the silver-haired man placed both hands flat on the table, "Here's what I got," The eyes opened slightly matching the serious tone in his voice.

* * *

Rukia walked about until she finally found it. The largest room in the shrine. The building had three floors, and on the second floor, she had found it. It was large indeed with windows windows that filtered in the sunlight. It was a dojo. On the wall at her right were racks that held different swords, one of them being a huge spear-like weapon.

Looking through a closet, she found a spare katana. It was ill-maintained but it looked very sturdy. She scavenged some more and found a cleaning kit. With cotton balls and a pair of tongs, she did her best to clean it.

Anything with a katana, kendo, samurai, and Bushido reminds me of him. Nii-sama.

_Come back Rukia, please…_

He taught me everything I know. He was a very strict teacher, but I appreciate everything he taught me.

_I'll be waiting_

What am I to do? Nii-sama, you're my only family. Without you, I'd be completely alone. Gin's planning to break into the manor and pillage everything. How am I gonna be okay with that? I love him that's true, but he's using me to ransack my house.

She stood with the katana in her hands and made her way to the center of the room, her bare feet paddering on the polish wooden floor.

Assassin. Heist. Nii-sama. It equals to the possibility that Gin may very well kill my brother. But I can beg him right? Like I did with Renji's life. Spare him. Yes spare him.

Closing her eyes, Rukia could see the man's figure looming over her. The steel grey eyes staring down. Divine punishment looking down.

_Love him? Are you telling me that you love an assassin. A killer?_

But he loves me…

_ Did he say that to you?_

She raised it over her head, both hands grasping at the handle.

Maybe they can talk and come to an agreement? Impossible. Gin and Nii-sama are polar opposites. One is easy-going and lenient, the other is up tight and strict. Sleazy—honest. Warm and loving—Cold and restricted.

She swung downward, "One!" she raised it once more, "Two!"

Make him forget about it. Well, even if I could do that, what about the others? They normally work on their own, but they all teamed up for this…

* * *

_"Kuchiki, do you know what that name represents? Unattainable value. Nobility that is pure like snow, fragile like spring. This is what your footwork must show. Cannot be felt, like the wind, just barely."_

_"But, Nii-sama, I could never catch you, I—,"_

_ "Silence. I don't want excuses. Start over."_

* * *

Rukia stopped after countless swings.

"Unattainable…" she whispered.

* * *

"Aizen's dead."

A breeze of emotions blew across the faces of those around the table.

"I can't believe you'd actually pull something of that caliber," Stark was the first who spoke, "We're screwed."

"Oh…shit," Nnorita blinked.

Ulquiorra stood wordlessly in a sudden jolt, "I'm leaving."

"Nice wise-ass, how're we gonna get any extra—," Grim stopped speaking when he saw Gin flash a platinum check card.

"Are ya still leaving? Cuz that's fine with me…"

Ulquiorra turned and stared at the card. And then at Gin.

"What do you want me to do?"

It's amazing how fast loyalty can switch from person to person, thought Kira. He stood behind Gin. Against the wall, without saying a word, just simply observing.

"Well tha' all depends on you," Gin replied darkly, "I don' really care if ya leave or stay. I'll give ya a fraction of the money now. Of course, I'ma gonna have ta give ya a bigger piece if ya decided to stay…"

The group was engrossed in deep silence. Ichimaru placed the check card on the table and slid it to Stark's direction.

"Cash it."

Stark stared at it for a moment before reaching for it.

"Yo! What if he runs off with the money!?" roared Grimmjow.

"As if Stark would do such a thing," scoffed Halibel in his defense, "He's a man of his word."

Kira watched, his eyes dropping in thought.

Aizen's death. Giving the check card to Stark. Challenging Ulquiorra. What is he….?

Nnorita wrinkled his nose in disgust, "This smells fishy. Wasn't Aizen the one that grouped us for this mission? So are ya still planning to do this or what?"

Wait. I get it.

Kira looked towards Ichimaru, whose entire expression was hidden underneath his smile.

He killed Aizen giving him complete flexibility with the planning of this heist. He's giving the check card he stole to Stark knowing that there may be a chance that he and Halibel may leave and never come back. Grimmjow is only after the money and with Ulquiorra's loyalty shattered, he'll follow whoever has monetary power…

In other words… _he's driving them away_…

"Course I am,"

_I have a feeling that he doesn't want to do this…_

"Good, cuz I'm not in it for the money," replied Nnorita, "Rumor has it, Kuchiki Byakuya's one hell of a fighter."

"Fuck that shit—Stark, I'm trailing your ass!" barked Grimmjow.

"Fine by me," Stark replied casually.

Halibel scoffed.

"Why is he going to cash it, why not give it to me?" The group looked up to Ulquiorra.

"Cuz, he knows your dumbass is gonna take it," Grim spat in reply.

"The only one talking about taking money is you—I think it's pretty safe to assume that you're the only money greedy bitch up in here," commented Nnorita.

"Fuck you," spat Grim.

"Oh, shut the fuck up."

"You can't shut me up, ass wipe! You fuckin think you're all fuckin that?!" Grim stood ready to face off.

"Boys!" cried Halibel.

Kira frowned as he saw Gin slightly chuckle to himself. He loves animosity, no, he _lives_ off of it.

"Like Halibel said earlier, Stark's a better person ta trust, so that's why I'm gonna let 'im do it, sides' he's pretty good at it—Crackin' codes an' crunchin' numbers… after all, e's a treasure hunter." Gin finalized with a smirk.

"Very well… is this meeting over?" Ulquiorra looked ready to leave, it was quite obvious to them that he was still upset over the death of his master. It was an expression he showed with his actions instead of his face, which appeared to be constantly unchanging.

Kira wondered if he wore a mask of a different sort, working in the same way as Gin's smile. Because, after all, indifference, like playfulness, can be used as a personal shield—it just has a different shape.

"Yeah, pretty much," Gin chimed, "We'll meet again and see if yer all feelin' up ta it once Stark's got th' money, I'm sure we'll be talkin' a lil bit more seriously."

The emerald eyes looked towards the door as he approached the exit.

"You conveniently talked about everything without mentioning her, eh?"

The attention shifted towards Nnorita whose sleazy eyes narrowed, "You didn't say what she's gonna play in all this."

"No, he didn't" Grimmjow teased, "Cuz that's his lil' princess," he scoffed, "You're not planning to _share_ her with anybody are ya, fox?"

"You sound very interested, Grimmjow," Stark commented smartly.

"Shut the fuck up."

"The Kuchiki family runs thin. Th' only members tha' exist are Kuchiki Byakuya and Kuchiki Rukia. I know tha' _big _brother will do anythin' ta get 'is beloved sister to a safe place," he sang sarcastically, "At dis moment I've go 'er doin' _exactly _wha' I want 'er ta do," Gin tilted his head in his direction, "Nnorita, is there anythin' else ya wannna know?"

"Che."

The door closed as Ulquiorra exited the room.

"I have her as a fail-safe back up in case my plan flops"

"You mess around too much, that's what." Nnorita ran his long fingers into his hair, "Screw around too much. Just get to the point and cut'em down. I'll wait till the money's here but if I have to hold for several more days after that—I'm going ahead with it myself."

Kira's gaze met the ground. I guess it won't be possible. There's not way of turning back at this point. If Ichimaru would announce that he'd quit, what would that say of his reputation? Even worse still, they'll go all out on their own. And unorganized attack is chaos. Kuchiki-san will suffer more that way, I feel.

Kira looked up and saw Gin talking more to Stark about something. Halibel near them both; nodding and listening intently.

Grimmjow stood and walked off, a hidden grin etched at the corner of his lips. Kira's eyes widened.

_"Fail-safe back up… heh."_

It was a grumble, a small whisper, caught by Kira's eyes from the movement of his lips. Gin had joked in the beginning to Grimmjow to not mess around with her…. It was because he knew that he posed a threat. Because he was a man without law, without morals, living outside the lines of society. Yes, Ichimaru knew him very well. And it was because of Kira that Grimmjow was wrapped up in all of this in the first place.

"Well, I'll be on my way," Stark announced after he received the information he needed.

"Godspeed," Halibel called.

He simple nodded in her direction and walked off.

Gin getting ready to leave the room saw Izuru at the doorway staring down the hall.

"Kira, why don'cha help me wi' lunch?"

"Kuchiki-san, I wonder where is she—,"

"Come on,"

"Huh?"

* * *

A bead of sweat fell down the side of her face. She wasn't exactly tired. The sunlight filtered through the windows made it hot and uncomfortably warm. Nothing like the large Kuchiki manor. The dojo was on the first floor and Byakuya kept the doors wide open.

Blowing in, the fresh cool breeze was refreshing, drying the skin, soaked and drenched in sweat. It was so strange, but the cheery trees in the centered garden were always in bloom, all year around. The soft rosy petals entering the wide open shoji screen doors littering the polished wooden floors in its simplistic beauty.

The house was an ancient marvel possessing countless antiques. At a very young age, Rukia learned not to touch them and never ask. The sound of the sliding door broke her thoughts.

Standing at the entrance was a pale-faced man, the vivid green eyes that glowed rested on the petite figure observing the surprise expression flourish over her face.

"Kuchiki Rukia," he breathed coldly. Nnorita's comment circled his thoughts. "_You conveniently talked about everything without mentioning her, eh?"_

"Yes?" she blinked innocently completely oblivious of his thoughts.

"A meddlesome woman," he scorned in disgust.

Rukia lowered her weapon and gazed towards him with honest eyes, "Please tell me, what did I do wrong? In what way did I offend you?"

"Because of you, I'm only left to wander again."

–

Yes.

Only wander.

Continuously watching time flow. Watching others live. But, haven't I been doing that always?

–

"I'm sorry," Rukia frowned feeling confused of the strange statements he issued.

In the distance, Grimmjow's footsteps were heard. Rukia stiffened.

What had changed him so, Ulquiorra pondered as he thought to himself, that he would even conceive the thought of murdering Aizen Sousuke?

* * *

_Bodies laid scattered about the entrails decorating the walls and ceiling. Weapons lying about as the blood stained ceiling fan calmly swerved in circles. An adolescent crouched down towards the ground, face hidden deep within his knees, his arms drawn over his head, knuckles whitened as his fingers dug into the platinum silver mane._

_ Through the wide open doors a man relaxed rather sophisticated walked in closely followed by Ulquiorra. The glasses were gone and the cold brown eyes watched the frightened youth._

_ "Did he do this?" Ulquiorra asked stoically. He calmly observed the surroundings._

_ "It seems that way..."_

_ Sousuke made his way over to him crouching down slowly to his level, "Tell me boy," the clever eyes narrowed, "What is your name?"_

_ "D-don't make me..." he whispered nervously, "Don' tell me what to do!! Please..."_

_ Aizen rested his palm over the boy's head, "Who are you talking to?"_

_ Ulquiorra then spotted it, Shinsou. The blade rested within the boy's reach._

_ "Aizen-sama, this katana is defiantly one of them," Ulqui approached it but didn't dare to touch the blade. Sousuke glanced back in response as he calmly stroked the sliverish strands, "There, there... it's not as bad as you think. I know you aren't the one whose been doing this. I know it's not your fault. I know it wasn't you."_

_ The boy's hands shook as the fingers loosened its grip to slowly raise his head. Red eyes were exposed open wide enough to see the expression in them stressed ,in panic. They moved landing on Aizen's tranquil gaze._

_ "My name is Aizen Sousuke, and yours?"_

_ "Gin... Ichimaru Gin."_

_ "Could you tell me where is it coming?"_

_ Gin jerked his head in the direction of the cursed blade stained in blood. The feet that stood near it cause the boy's eyes to trail up to Ulquiorra's face and then back down to Shinsou._

_ Aizen __serenely __stood, and walked towards it. Everything around him seem to freeze._

_ "This? Is this it?"_

_ "Sir..."_

_ "It's alright, Ulquiorra."_

_ Ichimaru's teeth clenched. The thin spindly fingers twitched in their place._

_ "Let me tell you something, Gin."_

_ "Let go of it," he whispered, "Ya can't touch it."_

_ "The voice you hear, the impulses you receive, are not from this blade—they are from inside you, Gin."_

_ The eyes stared at him in shock._

_ Aizen slowly __stood with the blade in his hands and with a handkerchief retrieved from his back pocket, he wiped the surface clean, "Shinsou is not a separate entity rather, a portion of your own. You cannot ignore it, you cannot erase it, nor can it cease to exist. You destroy this weapon it will manifest itself in another."_

_ The drawn-up knees sank to the ground as Aizen approached. He bent down and placed the blade in his hands._

_ "It is a power that rests __inside__ you. Wild. Untamed. Do you understand?"_

_ The cold steel touched his neck._

_ "Givin' me this were the worst mistake you could ever make..." hissed Gin._

_ "Untamed because it controls you. Untamed because you fail to act on your own accord. That is why I don't point at you—accuse you—call you monster. I'm sure your ears have heard the same things over and over."_

_ The hands shook._

_ "Murderer. Assassin. Heartless. Fiend. Demon. Killer. Criminal—,"_

_ "Shut it, shut up! I don' wanna hear it anymore!" he screamed. The blade pierced into his skin tearing through, and the body of the professor fell back. Headless, when he blinked, it wasn't so. Simply an illusion._

_ Ichimaru quickly stood they both where found across from him. Aizen's blade was drawn. A katana that gleamed, a metallic silver, the light reflected was nothing but glazed beams of light. Beautiful, hauntingly beautiful._

_ "Follow me, Ichimaru Gin, and I will make that power __**yours**__."_

_ "You. You... got one too?"_

_ "Yes Gin... in the position you stand now the things you see, compared to what I am seeing... are galaxies apart. Realize that you and I __aren't__ the only ones with this ability. There are others with their entities dormant sleeping inside them, connected with weapons that are hundreds of years old. This... this is my mission, my life's work."_

_ "So, how many did you hafta kill to find that out?"_

_ Sousuke's eyes closed as he smiled, "Why should that matter? Fools, that mettle with the private research of a educator, aren't worth keeping their lives to pollute the earth with their absurdity."_

_ "You don't care..." he gazed at him awed._

_ Ulquiorra saw admiration grow in the young boy's eyes._

_ "Gin, do not let such petty sentiments get in the way of tapping into your true potential. So you see, we are not like the others, for we stand on a different plane, adhere to different principles... foolish notions over the matter of death... desperately clinging on to life, it displays the shallowness of their existence. An existence that is not worth keeping. These notions, restrain us... they... tie us down to their society. Let them go... and you will find control over your impulses."_

_ Gin looked towards the ground, an uneasiness washed over his face. He then raised his head, the direction of small slits as it glanced about, pointed to the mess of dried blood that was decorated around them, "If I do that, I won' be able to stop.... I won' be able t'be myself again... I might... do somethin' I'll regret..."_

_ "Then... allow me, Gin, to be the influence that will block the demands of your blade."_

* * *

Aizen... was more than just an authority figure, much more than a boss to take orders from. He was his mentor, some sort of twisted paternal figure, the man who molded him to be the person that now stands before us... Aizen was the channel Ichimaru used to control the extirpative side to his personality.

But this woman, this woman is possibly the one that has replaced him. Aizen's death... it is a verity impossible to accept. A contradiction to his existence, to his ideals... there too many holes... missing bits of information... this woman...

–

"Outta the way you dead-beat bastard! I placed dibs on her first!" Grimmjow growled roughly shoving Ulqui out of the way.

"I see, perhaps Stark's comment was not too far off the point."

"You," Grimm's unsheathed blade, Pantera, aimed its tip towards the stoic pale faced man, "You're next. I can't stand your ass. What makes you all think I wanna fuck this skinny bitch?! She's got no fuckin tits!"

Rukia steamed, "Asshole! I'm right here! At least have the decency to spit your personal opinions somewhere else," Taking a fighting stance her violet eyes ferociously glared at him, throwing away any fear, "This _skinny bitch_ is capable of killing your dumb ass cuz I got no tits to get in the way!"

"Heh! We'll see about that!" dashing towards her in a sudden burst he swung the katana in a horizontal motion. The metal rang against hers.

The potatoes that fell into the ramen soup has slipped out of Ichimaru's long fingers.

Izuru looks towards him. The clever eyes slowly closed.

The tiny feet danced on the polished wooden floor. Ravish instinctive swings, left, right, rising up, falling down. She blocked them, turned them around. He rasped, she clenched her teeth, tightened the grip of her blade. He laughed she cursed.

The footsteps. Her footsteps were like drops falling in black water. Each step, every landing thump, vibrated, rippling across the recesses of his imagination.

"Ichi—," Kira stopped himself and heard the heavy steps of Nnorita who walked away up towards the stairs.

"Kuchiki-san," Kira whispered. Putting down the cooking knife he turned to go.

"Kira?"

The blonde faced him.

"Here."

He passed him a stack of bowls along with the chopsticks, "I'll catch up with you soon."

"Do you—,"

"She's up there sparring Grim'jow on da second floor, I know."

–

"Tch!" Rukia's feet were dragged back as the force pushed her.

The cerulean eyes glowed matching the wide grin on his face, "Not bad midget. You're actually pretty good—now I'm not really bored anymore!"

It's so hard to get to him. He definitely has an advantage over me, somehow.

–

Nii-sama.

Nii-sama.

Nii-sama!

What is it that you do? How can I be strong as you? Graceful as you? Perfect as you? Absolutely translucent as you?

–

Byakuya's image flashed into her mind.

–

You taught me everything.

But I could never catch up to you.

Be with you on that level.

I'm so pathetic, you don't deserve to have a sister like me... and yet you do, and you care for me... taught me everything you knew...

–

Ulquiorra watched still, and Halibel joined him moments after the battle had begun and observed with interest, keenly narrowed her eyes caught her developing style. Her stare then moved towards Grimmjow.

–

_"Nii-sama, I'm sorry I'm late." Rukia bowed before the closed screen doors._

_ "Come in."  
As she slid the doors open, a fresh breeze blew. The heavy scent of flowered sakura filled her nostrils. Petals scattered across the floor as he stood practicing himself, his back erect. The practice weapon was lowered his gaze never met hers._

_ She hastily stepped in and assumed her position in front of him. The wind played with their hair as the petals swirled around them._

–

"Quit your starin!" shouted Grimmjow toward Halibel, "You just HOPING that she'll kick my ass, but that ain't happening!"

"Insecurity." Ulquiorra uttered.

"Shut the fuck up."

The wind, that scented breeze filled with that perfume. She breathed out calmly.

Grimm hissed as he faced his opponent once more.

–

I was feeling all hyped and then the fuckin peanut gallery gotta be all fuckin bias and shit. Huh?

–

Rukia's shoulders were slumped slightly, her breath moved at a relaxed pace in perfect rhythm. Her hands loosened their grip to a relaxed hold at the hilt and her feet focused it's weight on the head of her foot instead of the heel. Her eyes slowly opened and the violet color was steady. And unmoving steel.

–

What the hell happened? All of the sudden she's all serious?

–

"Heh!" he propelled himself at her and she waited. Waited. In a fraction of several seconds he got closer, closer still.

"Eiyaaa!"

In one furious swing downwards, Pantera crashed to the ground. Grimmjow's blue eyes widened in disbelief while that infamous thought flooded his thoughts.

_Where the hell did she go?!_

"The flash step," Halibel commented, "I'd never thought I'd see this move manifested in anyone other than the God of the flash herself. So, she really did pass on her abilities to him..."

Ulquiorra unchanging expression shifted to the doorway where Kira stood. His blue eyes wide.

"S-sugoi..."

Grimmjow smirked, "Heh don't get all happy cuz you know some new tricks, in the end it all waters down to strength!" He swung again and she disappeared appearing again behind his back, the edge of her blade at the skin of his neck.

"Strength is an important factor, but it is useless unless it reaches you opponent."

Grimmjow grinned, "If you're gonna kill me, do it now, isn't that the point you wanted to make?"

"No," she replied calmly, "It's not."

"Kuchiki-san," Kira whispered in awe.

"Well then, allow me," Nnorita who walked in reached for the enormous strange weapon that hung on the racks against the wall, "Let's make this a three way battle," he crowed. He brought down the mighty weapon to the ground in their direction scattering them to the opposite ends of the dojo, "Heh, like a pair of flies."

"Over here."

Nnorita's eyes trailed up to where he held his large crescent-like blade at the weapon's end she stood delicately—a butterfly barely resting the tiny feet poised to strike.

He bent backward as she ushered a horizontal strike. He pulled back the weapon as she leaped backward and he laughed. Grimmjow attacked Nnorita who swung at both of them equally when he had the chance.

"I have to admit," Ulquiorra stated, "This is entertaining me."

Rukia felt this rush, a feeling of euphoria in the form of adrenaline running through her veins. Like a drug it was a high, that aided her speed and quickly her heartbeat. She found it hard to keep a serious face. It was then that she understood why Grimmjow and Nnorita would smile so much, would laughed in the mist of battle.

This was fun.

This felt good.

This is addictive.

She analyzed their abilities all the while of the brawl and say that Grimmjow in spite of his instincts and skill was actually more inexperienced than Nnorita. The ease in which he held his weapon. The power he used to bring it down was amazing, frightening at the least.

Kira stood stunned and thoughts ran through his head. So strongly with so much confidence that it seemed impossible if it wasn't considered; _she could join us. She could be one of us._ A familiar hand landed at Izuru's shoulder.

"My, my lookie what we have here..."

Kira turned and saw Gin standing there. He simply smiled and pointed to the pot he left on a tiny stool at the entrance, "Help yerself," he said.

Ulquiorra was the first one there calmly taking his bowl to him, "Could you pass me a bit?" Please put in some of the pork."

Kira silently complied.

Grimmjow stood next to Rukia catching his breath. Rukia felt somewhat exhausted as well.

"Let's kick his ass, and get'em outta the way," he rasped in a whisper.

"Sounds good to me," she replied. It's funny how sometime ago, we were mortal enemies, she thought.

"Excuse me, is it a lil too late for me ta join?"

Rukia gasped.

Ichimaru Gin walked up stopping right next to Nnorita's side, "Looks like it's uneven."

"I really don't care," Nnorita hissed.

"I'll head for the kitty-cat," the smile stretched up further his face as he pulled out his blade.

"Fine whatever," Nnorita posed to strike.

"Seniors vs. Freshmen," Ulquiorra looked about measuring the level of skill.

"How mis-matched," Halibel stated adding to Ulquiorra's comment.

Rukia felt numb, she was going against him? This would be the first time that she would see him in battle. She saw how short his katana was.

"It's tiny," she whispered.

"Don' say tha', yer hurtin his feelin's," he cooed darkly. The end of his palm touched the tip of the wakizashi and as he pulled back his hand the katana extended it's length to that of a daito. The mysterious blade touched the floor stretching nearly three feet in length. Grimmjow didn't wait for him to move and dashed off first.

"Wait!" she cried.

He could control the length of his katana?!

Sparks flew grating off the grinding between both weapons. The fangs bared in Grimmjow's teeth as he faced off with the kitsune. It was a blur and the continuously clashing of metal echoing throughout the dojo.

"Why don't cha watch your own back!" cried Nnorita.

Her eyes widened seeing his blade coming too late. Grimmjow was knocked back coming in between Nnorita's strike, a gash opened in a diagonal slash across his chest.

When she saw the blood, she was started to get nervous. Her hands and feet were so jittery they still wanted to keep moving. She was still feeling the drugged effects of her adrenaline.

"Tch!" Nnorita lifted his weapon to strike and she faze away in a step unknowingly landing behind Gin. Her breath hitched. She blinked at she realized that her arms instinctively lifted to block his sudden swing of his blade.

His smile was bittersweet, "Don't be scared Hun, it's all in fun,"

She regained her confidence and fought against him. She saw that his footwork was light as well and as the blades dances around them. The gleam reflected off of the Japanese steel as they barely whizzed past her, as she barely, barely was able to dodge them.

The tip of her katana slice across his cheek.

Nnorita just lowered his weapon and scoffed, "I barely did anything," he grumbled.

Grim clenched his jaw furiously buried in his own thoughts.

–

Stronger. I need to get stronger.

–

He grimaced as he tried to get up. The tantalizing sensation of pain spread along the gash opened by Nnorita's attack, "Fuck it all," he growled.

Her katana clashed with Gin's and as she noticed that his pressure against hers softened. He turned it and pushed the direction of the blades downward breaking up the tension. He back up a couple of light footed steps. A playful smile flourished.

"That was fun, don'cha think?"

Rukia's eyes glowed with happiness, "Yep! Ummm, but—," she looked in Grimmjow's direction.

"Don' worry bout it." he reassured her, "He's kinda used ta it. The body gets a good defense after many beatings—like tha' man over there," he nodded his head towards Nnorita's direction, "His skin's become a bit tougher. A dull blade can't cut 'im. Like an outer shell of a bug."

"Wow really?"

"Mmm. When fightin' people like us, ya don't consider their safety or our lives. Cuz we chose to risk it all long before you'd ever choose ta challenge us." Gin sheathed Shinsou. Onii-chan taught ya how ta fight, right?" He asked tilting his head in question.

Rukia laughed at the sound of "onii-chan". The sound of "chan" would have wrinkled Byakuya's nose in a perplex manner, "Yes," she replied in a smile.

Gin took in that smile.

"Grimmjow you're fuckin bloody messy!" roared Nnorita, "You're getting it all over the plates!"

"Look at me—does it look like I care?"

"Mmm, this is very good," Ulquiorra stated. He sat against the wall next to the others.

"Yes, I agree, I wish Stark was here to try some of this." Halibel commented.

"It's the first time I've eaten this with potatoes mixed in," Izuru added, "But it's very delicious."

"I don't have barely any in mine," Ulquiorra peeked into Kira's plate.

"Here have some," Kira happily dropped a couple into his bowl.

"You bastard!" Nnorita jumped Grimmjow flinging punches. Grimm launched a couple right back at him.

"I'ma fuck you up!" Grimmjow countered. A cloud of dust wrapped around them as they fought forgetting the ramen and the bowls all together.

"Nii-sama is amazing, what I showed was only one fourth of his skill—or even less," Rukia concluded as they approached.

"Wrong."

"?"

"It aint his skill, it's yer skill, not his style but yer own. Seven students under one same sensei is gonna make different measures a skill, seven different styles t'be developed in seven differen' ways."

Rukia just watched him in amazement. She felt a bit excited because it was the first time she'd ever had such an engaging conversation.

He likes to talk about those things, it's like getting a small peek into his world. I barely know much about him.

"Ya look so concentrated," he chuckled breaking her thoughts, "Here sit down, ya look exhausted."

"Yeah, I am."

"Mmm," Gin noted the blood stains, "Grimm-kitty left 'is 'existence' spilled all over th' place."

Ulquiorra and the others gave him an odd look.

"Wha?" he joked, "I don' mean _that_ but th' other vital substance... shame, shame on all a yer dirty minds..."

They shook their heads as they resumed their meal. Kira made his way over, "This one's okay," Kira passed a bowl that was clean to Rukia, "I'll go get another one."

"Nah, I'll eat from yurs when yur finished, Kira."

* * *

"Reckless as usual, as well as ignorant to counsel from others," Halibel spoke while wrapping bandages around Grimmjow's chest.

Several hours passed after lunch in the dojo, and now he sat in one of the many rooms partly naked with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

"But I note that you heal pretty fast."

"That ain't nothing compared to what I get," he boasted.

"..."

"But... she's a decent fighter, I'll give it that... I wonder if he's trying to take advantage of that too?"

"There. Finished," she stepped back, "I don't normally do this, so you better show some gratitude."

"Then why'd you do it?"

"Because, you remind me of a spunky little boy."

"Tch."

"You get along with her well, I feel."

"Why are you interested in her for?"

"Because..." she replied.

"Hate when people say that."

She softly laughed. Halibel then turned her back on him, "Ichimaru-san is a dangerous person..." Grimmjow stared at the back that faced him, "...like a double-edged sword capable of attacking his own master. I fear her life is still at risk even more so, as he becomes more intimate with her."

"Why do you care?"

"Because..."

"Argh. I told you I hate—,"

The door slammed in the middle of Grimmjow's statement.

"Fuckin bitch."

* * *

The summer breeze was refreshing as it blew into the courtyard. The blades of grass waved back and forth as Rukia fell deeper into sleep.

–

The ground swallowed her up twisting down into a pit of eternal darkness. Noticing her predicament, she started to scream but she landed with a thud on a large red cushioned chair. Dressing in a frilled blue light blue dress, she was at the end of a large dinner table.

"Ah, I see we have a guest! A guest!" Gin's familiar voice cause her to turn her head back to find the Mad Hatter dressed elegantly, the sliver mane glistening in the summer sun.

Gin is the Mad Hatter?

"Why don'tcha join us?" he asked playfully pushing in her seat.

"S-sure, I guess."

She saw a small cup upside down moved by itself towards her cup. As it flipped over, Kira Izuru, tiny and chibi-sized with small mouse ears poking out of his head of blonde.

"One lump or two?" he timidly asked.

"Of course she wants two," the Mad Hatter cooed to Mr. Dormouse.

He carried the spoon and dumped two spoonfuls into her cup of British tea.

"Why thank you," Rukia uttered sweetly.

Color flushed the little mouse's cheeks and he hopped off hiding behind the large teapot.

"Tell me what brings you to this place?"

A crisp black suit with an unevenly folded handkerchief sticking out of the front pocket. The tall hat he wore had plumage a golden chain wrapped around a single card: The Ace of Spades.

She stared at it and soon it became the only thing in sight. Growing large enough that the abyss of such dark color swallowed her whole.

Large malicious grin matching the haunting cerulean eyes appearing in the inky darkness.

–

Grimmjow the Cheshire Cat?

Ulquiorra white rabbit?

–

Steady eyes that watched the clock. The hands that counted down, down to the eventual destruction of the Kuchiki manor. Burning the flames rose as Byakuya's body was consumed deep within the burning debris.

–

Her eyes shot open as she gasped. Sound of birds accented the warm summer air of that late afternoon. Rukia's body relaxed, her eyes grew wider still finding that her head was resting on Gin's lap.

His smile was ever present and from this point of view, she could see that his eyes where not exactly close but open just a crack, spotting the crimson irises that rested within them. His hand rested on her left cheek, the thumb stroking the skin gently all in silence.

Kira plucked dandelions apart. Analyzing everything. That was his problem. He thought too much. He worried too much. He empathized too much. But he, couldn't help it. He needed to be sure, especially now with this whole situation going on. Stark running that errand was buying some time. But he didn't see Gin taking advantage of that time. Instead, there he was, holding close a woman that would cost the loss of an entire mission.

–

Aizen's dead.

But, the others want to go with it anyway...

But exactly how—

–

"Argh!!!" Kira buried his head into the grass in frustration.

A breeze blew and nothing was heard except Kira who mumbled words to himself.

Gin saw her barely mouth some words, but he caught them.

"_This must be some kind of wonderland."_

"Really?" he whispered back.

She shot back of look of surprise, realizing he heard her, then slowly changed into a smile, "Yes, but twisted and wrong... I don't know what to do..."

Ichimaru searched his thoughts for words to say but none would come. Kira who now watched them met eyes with his partner.

"_Tell her_" he mouthed.

"..."

"_Tell her you love her..._" Kira repeated.

Rukia didn't catch anything, as just then Gin began to take to his feet.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Nothin'," he mused as he started off.

"Kuchiki-san look he wanted to tell you that he lo—ack!" Izuru was dragged by the back collar by Gin into the shrine house.

Behind closed doors did he let the blonde go.

"So what are you planning? Because I'm driving myself mad!" Kira ran his fingers though, ruffling his hair, "What are we going to do?!" he whispered harshly, "With Kuchiki-san? And the others? The money? The mansion? The hidden treasure Aizen was after? Did you really kill him? How much is a lie, how much is the truth?" He eyes were stressed as he looked into Gin's searching in vain for an answer, "Ichimaru-san? How deep is your love for her? How much are you willing to sacrifice? And you won't tell her? You won't give her peace of mind? You won't give me peace of mind?! She's confused—I'm confused—I—,"

Gin's hand landed heavily on Izuru's shoulder silencing hm immediately. Gin's head was lowered.

"One thing."

Kira stared at the downcast face. The hand still had a hold on his shoulder it slightly gripped it.

"One thing," he simply repeated, "I just need to clear out just that one thing and with tha' I'm gonna pull through with it."

"With what?"

"The plan."

"What is your plan?"

"Le's talk later. I got more ta tell anyway, and now aint th' right time."

* * *

The hours came and went. It was dinner and everyone sat and ate their full. Ulquiorra looked about the dinner table catching an ominous feeling. Grimmjow now and then would glance towards Rukia and when she would lift her head he'd jerk his eyes in a different direction. Nnorita absorbed in his own thoughts and Halibel grilling Ichimaru with an unnerving stare. It was a most awkward setting and Rukia was beginning to understand why Kira ate in his room most of the time and concluded on joining him next time. If there was going to be a next time that is...

After wards, everyone waked about as Rukia picked up the dishes. She saw Gin fetch Kira and together they stepped outside. She stood debating whether or not if she should follow. For some reason, she longed to be part of that inner circle. She longed to be part of his secrets, see the face that hid behind that mask.

"Yo."

She nearly jumped startled. Grimmjow looked unsure as he scratched the side of his head.

"You need help cleanin?"

"Eh???"

* * *

It was already dark as they stood outside on the porch. A cold breeze blew and all of the forest beat with the heavy harmony of the cicadas, and katydids. The crickets that settled underneath the veranda hummed harmoniously along with them.

"Oh look, the fireflies..." Kira cried in a hushed awe.

Indeed, they floated like miniature lanterns gliding underwater, glowing, radiating a mysterious atmosphere.

"It is a perfect time to tell ghost stories, wouldn't you think, Ichimaru-san?"

Gin smiled, "Yeah, it is..."

Rukia managed to get done with Grimm's help and after parting ways with him, she approached the entrance where Gin and Kira left though and noticed that the sliding doors weren't completely closed and their voices safely reached her ears without being spotted.

"Kira..."

"Yes?"

"Do you remember... at the part... that woman?"

"Matsumoto-san yes, I remember... she was the one who locked you up in the hospital."

Rukia lifted her fingers cupping her lips.

"Do ya wanna know how I did it?"

"Is this your attempt at a story?"

Somehow Rukia could sense his smile widen.

"She were breathin' real hard, struggling ta keep a straight face. She was tryin' not ta break down in front a me. After saying me last words. I sunk Shinsou inside 'er heart.

And ya know wha she did?

You know what happened?

She started coughin'. Grabbin' my blade she begged me to stop.

Begged me."

Rukia lost the sensation of her feet.

The hands that covered her mouth muffled whines.

"But I... didn't.

I didn' listen. I didn' want ta listen... I just wanted ta see more. I wanted to listen... I just wanted to see more. I wanted to taste it. Smell it, feelin' with my hands.

Blood.

The blood that bubbled out of 'er lips tha' seeped from th' wounds I holed in her with, stabbin' 'er over and over and over and over again."

"Nooo!!!"

Kira jumped in fright, but suddenly realized who that voice belong to.

"Kuchiki-san—,"

Gin grabbed his wrist signaling Kira to stop. And so just then Izuru discovered the one thing that Gin wanted to settle.

"You're asking for the impossible..." Kira said seeing Gin walk into the house as he opened the doors.

"Don't you get it Kira?" he calmly spoke without turning back, "I'm in love with the impossible... I always was. I suppose I'll always will be."

Rukia raced towards her room tears streaming down her eyes.

–

No, no, no.

Matsumoto—dead?

No.

Killed?

In that way?!

Her last moments—

In that way?

Matsumoto—no...

No...

To think her last impression of me was a deception. Clinging on to the man that ended her life. Aiding the man that she put away. Falling in love with the man who killed her!

–

Halibel heard Rukia's screech and was up to go to figure out what was going on. However as she took her steps, she felt dizzy.

Dammit... he drugged my plate...Ugh...I feel dizzy, it doesn't feel like poison through. She stumbled to the entrance of her room.

He knew I was growing suspicious that fuck-faced fox...

She gripped the doorway.

"N...norita? Grimm....jow?" She slurred.

She saw that Grimmjow laid collapsed on the hallway floor.

Shit...

She saw the floor rapidly rise up before flashing pitch black.

…. hurry... I need you... Stark.

Rukia was reaching her room when she felt arms wrap around her waist. Her eyes opened wide. Her heart rose to her throat.

"I cut 'er head off after she bled to death," he whispered ruefully. She broke off of his loosened grasp and rushed into her room shutting herself in.

He heard her cry and gasp for air every now and then. Resting his back against her door. He heard her cry. He heard her weep.

–

Impossible.

Simply impossible.

What am I doing?

Why did I bring it up? Why did I keep it to myself? Feel the need? Leaving the door open, starting the conversation putting everyone else to sleep... all for what?

Oh right.

That's why.

I love her. I want her to see me. To see all of me. I want to know how true her words are. How far she is willing to take them. Will she want to be with me now? Will she still say those words? Will she still smile towards me? Will she still feel safe in my arms? I need to know. I need to know, or else I won't be tell this stupid heart to shut up... I need to decide the outcome of the plan.

Rukia sat up on her futon with drawn up knees.

* * *

_"You liked Kurosaki? I've would of never guessed..." cooed Matsumoto in surprise as they sat together in the mall food court._

_ "But anyway whatever—I've always known he was a blockhead when it came to those types of things. What's pissing me off was what Orihime did to me—when did she fall in love with him? When? I thought we were best friends, I thought there was no secrets between us?!" Rukia huffed before taking a sip of her king size cherry coke._

_ Matsumoto giggled, her clear eyes glowed with fun, "You look so funny with such a large drink, and all that food, that can't be good for you..."_

_ "Ah, who cares? I need the weight, maybe I'll grow a bigger breast-size."_

_ "Sweetie, you don't realize how sexy you are—it doesn't matter what you got—it's how you use it that counts, hun."_

_ "But! But Matsumoto, you so beautiful, so amazing! You don't even have to blink to get the guys to look at you!"_

_ "But why do you think? I'm oozing with self-confidence and pride. That's all you need. You—you're model material, you'd look awful with bigger boobs trust me, don't change."_

_ "R-really?"_

_ "Psst, don't say anything, but Hitsu's been wanting to talk to you."_

_ "Shut up," Rukia scoffed in disbelief, "Isn't he seeing Hinamori?"_

_ "I know him better than anyone. Why are you doubting my gossip? He's into you and yes he's with Momo because he feels close to her... but the truth is he can't get out of that friendship ditch. He can't stop seeing her as a friend even if he doesn't want to."_

_ "Aw that really sucks... I can relate, I mean seriously I'd date Renji but I just can't seem to see him as a lover it just feels weird."_

_ "See! You both have something in common! How about I hook you both up on a blind date?"_

_ "Matsumoto, it's not a blind date when I know who I'm seeing..."_

_ "The date is blind, not the people!" she cheered._

_ Rukia threw back her head and laughed, "That sounds nice, but it feels awkward, truth is, I barely know him."_

_ "Don't worry sweetie, he's all bark but no bite."_

_ "Give me some time to think about it..." Rukia paused only then to gobble up her fries._

_ "Alright, I'll keep you posted then... and oh, don't get mad at Orihime."_

_ "Give me one good reason," Rukia raised a brow._

_ "She's shy, painfully shy... you know that Rukia. She has been harboring those feelings for a long time."_

_ "She's been talking to you... I shouldn't be surprised."_

_ "Listen, listen... she's jealous."_

_ "W-wha?! Of me?" Rukia pointed to herself in disbelief, "B-but she's so much more..."_

_ "Prettier? Well those are her exact words."_

_ Rukia stared at her._

_ "Do me a favor and go make up with her. You guys should be fighting over a guy."_

_ Rukia flushed scarlet, "I'm not fighting over Ichigo! She could have him... it's just the way she did it that got me so..." Rukia stared at the chicken nuggets that laid uneaten, "...upset. It hurted me. She knew how close Ichigo and I were and how much I wanted... him to notice me."_

_ Matsumoto took Rukia's hands into her own, "Love is war. It's hard to say but it's true, but, that shouldn't interfere with your friendship. She feels horrible about doing it but at the same time, she wanted to make that move and well he... responded there's no fighting that reality." she squeezed her hands warmly around Rukia's, "But friendship is stronger much stronger than anything else in this world. Take it from a girl with experience... without friendship their isn't love."_

_ "Matsumoto..." Rukia whispered._

_ Rangiku smiled warmly in return and her face appeared to glow and her confidence seem to transfer through her hands into Rukia's and enter her body._

_ "Promise me you'll make up with her kay?"_

* * *

Matsumoto... I couldn't keep your promise.

In fact I made it worse. I argued terribly with her and since then, I haven't called her... I wonder what would've happened if I went that blind date with Hitsugaya... maybe none of this would have happened maybe you'd still be alive... And everyone else... oh my god, Renji... Renji... strange how right now is the first time I've ever thought about my friends.

–

Friendship.

_Stronger than anything else in this world_

But yet now at this point that power fails to reach me...

–

There was a knock on her door. The screen door slid open just a crack and Rukia could see Gin from beyond that tiny opening. His back faced the door, he must of opened just that tiny bit to allow his voice to filter though.

"Is it okay if I talk for a lil' bit?"

She was quiet for a moment before replying.

"Yes..."

Another bout of silence.

"Sucks, don't it?" A series of funny-not-so-funny coincidences. The girl I knew, you knew, who dates a friend you knew, and I was trapped in a hospital that you worked and knew... all connected before I knew you who... happened. To be the sis' of th' brother who Aizen knew... All coincidences... all at once. Sorry 'bout how things turned out. And... I really mean that from th' bottom of my lil' black heart. I don' know when it all started, maybe with that kiss..."

Rukia's eyes widened.

"But I started t' act different. Bu' at first I were scared... I'm still kinda scared now tha' I mention it. Yeah, I'm scared. Scared of myself. Ya see, I see no future and I don' look back on my past either. I just keep walkin'. I figure that way I feel less pain.

Nothin' bu' dark ahead a me, an' behind me. I just walk alone in th' dark. After Ran and I grew from being kids, it was just the dark and I. After I met Aizen, I learned how to see through that dark, ta blend and become one of those invisible shadows... But then I met Kira.

His gloomy weirdness gave off some kinda glow and I was able to see my feet as I took my steps. Next thing I knew, I'd kept him beside me. So then later on I met you. As I knew ya more ya gave off such a light that nearly blinded me... I can see so much road it scares me... shining on all the deformed shitty things that I kicked outta th' way, sittin' right before me eyes... Th' things I do in comparison to you, how filthy my hands are, how in spite of tha' they dare to touch you... I've contemplated on my past... something that I'd vowed I'd never do... because I look back and for some reason... I can see it all clear as day...

What happened to Ran... it might happen to you... I thought... I thought but I couldn't consider, because you said words that I'd never, never, never heard before. Not from anyone, for so long:

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you...

Them just words, but I wanted to hear them so bad from somebody. Anybody. After me ma left no one were left to say 'em to me. I've always clung on ta Ran, and I forced my affection on her—but look what I did... I guess... I just really couldn't take it anymore. That look in her eyes. Tha' look tha' told me tha' I didn' belong, that I were crazy. Tha' look tha' told me tha' she didn' want me anymore... I was a monster now, that I scared her.

* * *

_"I'll shoot you Gin, I swear, I'll shoot you dead!"_

* * *

I don't blame her, though, cuz everybody living in that "real world" acts the same way, but at th' same time it bothered me cuz Ran were somebody I knew for th' longest time, we grew up as kids... I though' she knew me. I though' that she'd take to me an' tha' she'd accept me... help me... or just say those words to me...

So now I tell you this.

If yer looking for a guy you'll show off to yer friends.

A guy who'll buy a house an' settle down.

A guy who'll make an honorable living.

A guy who's friends wit' everybody.

A guy who respects and 'as morals

A guy who fits into th' "real world" in yer social circle..

–

You ain't gonna find that guy in me.

–

You're gonna find that I'll suck ya deeper into my hell, endanger you—I'll make ya think like me, act like me. I'll threaten yer friends your family... I can give you all that pain.."

The creek of that door opened wider. Rukia watched as it opened wider still. His shadow turned as he surfaced his face in the open door. His face had a soft gentle smile the eyebrows were lifted like a little sad pup, whining for it's master.

"Do you still wanna follow me? Do you still wanna be wi' me?" He inched his foot closer but it seemed like his body was rooted at the doorway as if a talisman was placed at the doorway holding back the demon preventing any entry.

"You really...love me? Does that mean you'll accept this side of me too? Accept my nature, accept this lifestyle, walk along this path beside me? My road is outside the "real world" like you said it's a wonderland of twisted dreams, broken hearts and cursed clubs. Of strange faces distorted justice and endless nights. Nights filled of black magic, evil fairy tales... demons hidden behind masks and illusions. All the rules you played in life will no longer apply if you walk with me if..."

He stretched out his arm, "... if you take my hand."

–

Why is it always so hard for me to swallow? Why is always so hard to breath? She gasped. Her heart was beating so hard. It ached her.

Gin, Gin—Gin! I love you! I love you, but I'm so scared! Tears sprang from the rims of her eyes. He saw them slowly melt down her cheeks. I love you so much it hurts! It hurts so much I could die!

–

She tried to speak but the words couldn't escape, they were trapped. Instead she slowly extended her arm. He watched the tiny fingers swimming across the air reaching, reaching, reaching out for his. His eyes opened and their was a gentle gaze found inside them.

But she saw Red. She saw crimson bloody red. Blood. Matsumoto's blood, stained in those eyes. She'd be siding with her suffering, agreeing with her death.

The tips of their fingers touched.

Renji's clumsy way of affection. His dedication a bond of friendship they had since childhood... Ichigo, having past so many precious moments in high school with Orihime, Ishida, Sado and Tatsuki... Dr Urahara who insisted to be called by his first name. The playful jokes his way of patting her on the head. His smile and lenient nature... Nii-sama, he'd never—

Her fingers slipped through his. His didn't try to grasp it. She pulled it back and her chest heaved as it caved into a heart wrenching sob. It was a cry heavy with agony, acutely strong in emotion. Her body rattled as she curled herself up.

Gin's teeth clenched, turning his head away he couldn't stand to look at it anymore. It was too much. Pushed her too hard, too far.

–

I knew it. I knew it, yet I still tried. Knowing that it'll end up like this. It's just like that game, "rotten ace"

All kids from our little school, Ran, and I played it with an old deck of cards we stole from the head master's desk. On an old tree stump in the school yard. Taking turns sweating crossing our fingers, praying to God. Heh so funny.. it was usually me. Our heads pressed together lookin' down on our little stack. My hand reaching for it...

Usually it was me pulling the Ace of Spades. The "rotten ace" it was the most awful thing, that could happen, cuz then you had the 'cooties'... But why... when the ace of spades was the most beautiful card out of the rest? What fun! I always hoped that I'd be the one to find it. I looked forward to it, I yearned for it. The Ace of Spades I wanted to lose because I wanted to hold it in my hand the most beautiful card. Smiling, they'd all laughed and sneered because everybody was happy. Happy that they won, happily I lost.

But I've drawn my ace, but I'm not happy. I've got what I wanted right? She rejected me... I know not that her feelings don't have depth. My heart cannot be aching with guilt. It just...so then why...

–

He heard her cries subside her face buried in her knees. She only wailed in small whines.

–

… did I hope that she wouldn't? I hoped that she'd really... He felt his stomach lurch.

Stepping into the hallway he took a couple of steps.

"In love with the impossible."

Gin looked up and saw Kira standing in front of him.

–

When did he?

Why didn't I notice him right in front of me? Am I that dazed?

–

"Impossible for a victim to fall in love with her killer. For a killer to fall in love with his prey? For him to want to risk it all. To bypass common sense, bypass the instinct to kill. Now, it all makes sense."

"Kira, shut up."

"So what now? You're going to get rid of her? As if nothing—,"

"I said shut up—,"

"—No you shut up!" Kira pinned him against the wall. Gin's body fell back obeying like a rag doll. His sliver tongue continued to spit but his will was long gone."

"Fuckin' hate this feeling..." Gin wheezed with a laugh, "...why does hearing her cry have ta bug me so much—I'd wish she'd shut up," He labored for breath, "Just shut up, shut up, shut up."

Gripping on his black jacket Kira rattled him, "Stop it!" raising his fist he punched him right across his face. Tumbling towards the ground. The kitsune didn't block, he didn't fight back. He just laid there.

Kira's blue eyes solemnly stared at the body, "To think that love has this much power. The power to reduce such an unstoppable force to nothing but a corpse-like heap sprawled on the floor. How frightening," he said.

Rukia was silent as she stared at the single candle that lit her room. Sitting on her futon hugging her knees. The room was filled with the sound of emptiness. Kira slid the door the rest of the way. She looked up and barely managed a smile. She was partly embarrassed because she looked like a total mess.

"I want to apologize for—,"

"Don't."

He lifted his head and saw Rukia's gaze was serene and firm. The redden bags under her eyes gave her the appearance of exhaustion.

He's fiddled with her thoughts for too long, he thought. I'm surprised that she's lasted this long.

"Please accept my aplo—,"

"I said no," she rebuked, "Kira, you're always like this aren't you? But you shouldn't. That man is always carrying your guilt. His hands are soiled so then yours could be clean... apologizing for him is just spitting at his face... he did the same for me..."

Kira's eyes widened.

"I was thinking," Rukia continued, "If Matsumoto were alive, eventually I would have been suspected as an accomplice right?"

Kira really didn't know. But he just listened. Gin could hear her steady voice flow into the hall.

"After what I did and the smooth escape, the impression I left on Renji, that meeting I set up for Gin and Matsumoto. Unmistakeably targeted as a possible accomplice. But he killed her... so now it looks like I was used. I was forced into doing those said things. Now, I look like a hostage. In other words, he took my guilt even though he was the one who caused it."

"Kuchiki-san"

"No matter what I've heard, what I've felt, my heart's always denied the fact of Gin being heartless," she chucked a bit, "When it's the exact opposite. Truth is, he is consumed by his emotions. Overwhelmed. That's why he guards himself so well, that's why he pulls the strings with so much ease..."

Kira saw her smile.

"I'm glad I understand a lot now."

"What are you going to do?" Kira asked dumb-founded.

"Kira... your first name is Izuru, correct?"

"Umm... yes, why?"

"Can I call you that?"

"What...," His voice trailed off confused in all this.

"I decided to let it go. Let it all go."

Kira's eyes widened.  
No... way?  
She turned his way and grinned, "I had a really good cry! It felt so good it let it all like that . I felt so light... but my head feels stuffy and my throat is kind of groggy.

"Kuchiki-san—,"

"Rukia, just Rukia," she replied, "I'm going to break my ties with everyone. But Kira,"

He approached her. She took his hands into hers. He could feel that they were wet with tears, "Yes?"

"Could you be my friend in exchange?" Her eyes watered again, "Could you be—," she broke off in another small sob as Kira embraced her.  
"I thought you cried it out," he commented tenderly.

"Oh Matsumoto, Renji, Ichigo, Inoue, Sado... Oh I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she muffled into Kira's shirt. But I love him, I want to be with him, so please forgive me..."

Kira rubbed her back as he held her, "I'm sure that in someway they'd understand," he whispered, "So please, don't cry anymore." Kira wiped the tears.

A rustle, they both looked back and saw Gin standing in the doorway with a surprised dazed look. His lips barely parted and his eyes wide open.

"What... did you say?"

"I... want to... be... with you," she repeated cautiously. She had no idea how he was going to react. Kira stood and backed off anticipating his next action. He rushed and bounced landing on her futon like an over-excited pup. He hugged her and rubbed her head obsessively, scuffling her hair like a child getting a nuggie.

"Rukia-chan loves me! She loves me! She wants to stay!"

"Wh-wha? Get off you sound like an obnoxious child!" she shouted confused and flustered.

He was sitting up in front of her as he lowered his face in level with hers, "And I love 'er back,"

Rukia quietly gasped.

"I love her more than anything in the world."

She hugged him burying herself within his chest blushing as she took in the scent of his skin the feel of his skin and the firmness of his muscles, through his shirt.

"Well, actually no, there's something I like more."

"Huh?" Rukia blinking wondering.

Gin smiled, "It's making that guy's life impossible," he pointed at Kira who was minutes away from escaping the room, "he's so fun to tease—ow!"

"That's what you get! You deserve more than that so consider yourself lucky!"

Kira finally crept away. He smiled as he heard sounds of laughter and witty chatter echoing behind him.

–

In love with the Impossible, of course why not? Because love overcomes all impossibility. To love in itself is impossible.

* * *

**END CHAPTER**

* * *

Notes: Really long chappie, I know but it's to make up for the lack of updates... the next one is just as long. But the ones after that won't be as long and after chappie 14 it will landslide towards the epic end to this fanfic. I hope you guys can hang in til then... ^_^;

I drew a cover page for those who want to see check out the links on my profile page.

Because of Chap 14's length, I'll put a chunky preview from different parts within it. I finished writing it on paper, but there is still a tons of editing and revising to be done as well as typing that monstrosity on the computer... But I'll get it done as soon as I can. Thank so much for your support. You guys give me a lot of motivation to keep writing.

* * *

**Preview - Chapter 14: The Faces Behind the Masks  


* * *

**

Grim scratched his head, "Aren't you mad about what that fox put in our food?"

"I refuse to parade about like a stampede of wild animals after prey. Besides, my body is immune to certain chemicals."

"You mean!?"

"It didn't effect me."

"So?"

"What do you want to know?"

Halibel and Nnorita took their seats at the table. Grimmjow sat next to Ulquiorra.

"Did he do anything while we were knocked out?"

The atmosphere around the table was thick with silence. Rukia was in the kitchen out of earshot.

* * *

--

* * *

"Rukia," he repeated. He saw that the tears didn't fall, "I hava plan, kay? Do ya wanna hear it?"

She nodded earnestly.

"Tommorrow I'm going to drop you off at the manor before the crack of dawn to be with your onii-chan"

"Okay."

"For one week. One week only. I want you to get for me: [...]"

* * *

--

* * *

Yes, Ulquiorra Schiffer. His pale skin matching the bone white color of the moon that hung out in the sky. He was practically naked with only towel wrapped around his waist. He stared coldly in her direction, unfliched by her presence. Unsurpised in finding her there.

"I always take the osen at this hour," he simply stated.

* * *

Notes: There's a lot of Ulqui in this one! I tried to focus chap 14 of reveal a bit of the background of the others involved with the heist and reveal their motives. Any questions and comments please let me know! ^0^


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